nebula · Cassiopeia

IC 1805 — Heart Nebula

The Heart Nebula is an emission nebula located about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. This vast cloud of glowing hydrogen gas spans roughly 200 light-years across and gets its energy from a cluster of young, hot stars at its center. The intricate wisps and pillars of gas create a dramatic landscape of star formation, with dark dust lanes carving through the brighter red regions.