IC 1805 is part of a large complex of faint nebulosity located in Cassiopeia. Also known as the Heart Nebula, it is located about 7500 light-years away. A cluster of stars in the center of nebula is the source of the radiation causing the nebula to glow red. The star cluster includes young stars that have 50 times the Sun's mass, and which will one day explode as supernovae. The star cluster is cataloged as Melotte 15.
The glowing cloud of gas at the lower right in this image is the brightest part of this nebula, and was discovered first. That portion of the nebula was given the separate designation NGC 896. My wife noticed that IC 1805 looks like an elephant, and NGC 896 is the elephant's trunk. I think I agree with her, and this should have been named the elephant nebula!
Click on the above image (or click here) to see a larger version of the image. (Note: This is a large file: 2.5MB).
This is an RGB color composite CCD image taken with an SBIG STL-11000M CCD and a Takahashi Epsilon 180ED telescope at f2.8. The image was taken from my backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona.
IC 1805
Constellation: Cassiopeia
RA: 02h 32m 41s Dec: +61d 27' 25" (J2000)
December 11 & 13, 2010
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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