For Valentine’s Day

We transform our relationships when we listen with our ears, hearts, and souls.

Deepak Chopra

Here is my latest Hubble Palette (SHO) version, a very wide view of The Heart IC1805 and Soul Nebula IC1848 using data from Grand Mesa Observatory’s System 1a the William Optics Redcat together with a QHY16200A Monochrome CCD, this combination is giving a field of view of approximately 6 x 5 degrees, In this Hubble Palette version the H-Alpha is mapped to green, SII is mapped to red and OIII is mapped to the blue channel. Captured over 6 nights in 2020 and 2021 for a total acquisition time of 15.3 hours.

The William Optics Redcat with QHY16200A and its 7 position filter wheel is now available at Grand Mesa Observatory for subscription, see here for details https://grandmesaobservatory.com/equipment

7000-7500 light-years distant in the constellation of Cassiopeia lie the emission nebulae colloquially known as the Heart and The Soul Nebulae. The gasses (mostly hydrogen) that comprise the nebulae are being ionized by the stars within the region and as a result, the gasses glow, much like a neon sign.

The pressures exerted upon the material by the stars nearby are causing the material to become compressed. When enough of the gas becomes highly compacted, it triggers the birth of new stars. In effect, this is a beautiful snapshot of a multimillion-year process of an enormous cloud of dust and gas transforming itself into new stars.

Technical Details

Captured and processed by: Terry Hancock

Location: GrandMesaObservatory.com Purdy Mesa, Colorado

Sep 29th, Oct 14th, 16th, Nov 11th 2020, Jan 1st and 2nd 2021

HA 270 min 27 x 600 sec

OIII 340 min 34 x600 sec

SII 310 min 31 x 600 sec

Filters by Chroma

Camera: QHY16200A

Gain 0, Offset 130 Calibrated with Flat, Dark and Bias Frames.

Optics: William Optics Redcat 51 APO @ F4.9

EQ Mount: Paramount MEII

Image Acquisition software Maxim DL6

Pre Processing in Pixinsight

Post Processed in Photoshop CC

Star Removal by Starnet