The astrophysics behind this region, IC 1871 within the Soul Nebula, fascinates me. First off, the column of dust in the center is the object catalogued as IC 1871 (I've also seen it referenced as LBN 675, as well). When viewed from the northern hemisphere, this object, within the much larger Heart and Soul Nebula, lies within the constellation Cassiopeia. Estimated at a distance of 6500 light years, this rich star-forming complex lies within the Perseus spiral arm of our galaxy.
Aside from its majestic beauty, this object is a fantastic example of the theory of
triggered star formation. Like other star-forming regions, large cavities are carved out by strong radiation and stellar winds from the region's massive stars. The carving out of these cavities, flanking both sides of the central column in this image, pushes gas together, causing it to ignite into younger generations of new stars. Here is
an animation of this effect by the NASA Spitzer team.
Scientists studying other similar regions have been able to show that the ages of the stars become progressively younger with the distance from the center of the cavities. See this short NASA article for further information:
Spitzer Reveals Stellar 'Family Tree'.
I hope you like my rendition. Bonus points if you spot the busy little mountain climber
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