by Craig and Tammy Temple
The Heart (IC1805, Sh2-190) and Soul (IC1848, Sh2-199, LBN 667) are a pair of emission nebulae that lie some 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. At the center of the Heart Nebula lies Melotte 15, an open cluster of stars that energize the nebula. The brightest portion of the Heart (upper right) is seperately classified as NGC 896, because it was the first part of this nebula to be discovered. While IC1848 is often used as the designation for the Soul Nebula, it is actually the open cluster in the "body" of the nebula. The correct designation for the Soul Nebula is LBN 667, also known as Sh2-199. Found within the "head" of this nebula are three open clusters: Collinder 34 (CR34), Collinder 632 (CR632), and Collinder 634 (CR634). A small emission nebula, IC1871 (Sh2-201), is located just left of the top of the "head" and two small emission nebulae 670 and 669 are just below the "lower back" area. In the upper left corner is an emission nebula designated Sh2-200 and a star cluster known as is Trumpler 3.
Lens: Pentax 150mm 6x7 @ f/4
Accessories: Dew control by Dew Buster; Alnitak Flat-Man
Mount: Takahashi EM-200 Temma2
Camera: QSI583wsg CCD @ -10.0C
Guiding: Starlight Xpress Lodestar via PHD
Filters: Astrodon 5nm Ha, OIII & SII
Exposure: 16 x 15min. (Ha), 16 x 15min. (OIII), 16 x 15min. (SII)
Acquisition: ImagesPlus Camera Control v4.3
Processing: Registration in Registar
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop CS5; Gradient XTerminator; Noise Ninja; Carboni's Actions; ImagesPlus 4.5
Date(s): October 15, 21 & 31, 2011
Location: Hendersonville, TN, USA