This object, also known as Sh2-184, is a large emission nebula located 10,000 light years away in the Cassiopeia constellation at a declination of +57 degrees.
The open star cluster at the center of the image, IC 1590, is ionizing and illuminating the surrounding gas. The large 8th magnitude star at the center, HD 5005AB, has four companion stars at distances between 1 and 16 arcsec.
Strong stellar winds from these stars are sculpting numerous elephant trunk projections along the outside of the nebula, with all of the trunks pointing towards the central star cluster. Numerous Bok globules are seen in silhouette against the nebula as well as a large dust cloud, also eroded by stellar winds. It is believed that star formation is occurring in these dense clouds of dust. The nebula spans 80 light years.
I especially like the small, intricate black cloud structures just left of the central cluster. I also find the large horizontal cloud structure below the cluster to be interesting. The erosion of this cloud appears to be symmetric from our perspective, which suggests to me that this cloud is between us and the cluster and that we looking at the back side of this specific cloud.
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Reminder – This object and 3100 more are included in the
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