This image captures the center of the Heart Nebula (IC 1805), located 7500 light years away in the constellation of Cassiopeia at a declination of +61 degrees. This nebula is a fantastic mix of glowing interstellar gas, dark dust clouds, and brilliant stars. The stellar winds and radiation emitting from these stars are sculpting the surrounding dust clouds into out of this world shapes, which is appropriate since it is out of our world.
At the top right are the numerous bright white stars of the newborn star cluster known as Melotte 15. The cluster is named for its discoverer, Philibert Jacques Melotte (1880-1961).
The highlight of this image is the central twisting, towering dust column. This is one of my favorite objects in the sky. It is over 30 light years tall. I like how it is lit primarily from the right, due to the position of the cluster. I also love the detailed base of this column, with its deep shadows and intricate structure.
I posted a
wider FOV of this object earlier this month.
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