Melotte 15 in the Heart Nebula

Melotte 15 in the Heart Nebula

Image Credit & Copyright:
Richard McInnis

Explanation:
Cosmic clouds form
fantastic shapes in
the central regions of emission nebula IC 1805.

The clouds are sculpted by stellar winds and radiation from
massive hot stars in the nebula’s
newborn star cluster,
Melotte 15.

About 1.5 million years young,
the cluster stars are scattered in this
colorful
skyscape, along with
dark dust clouds
in silhouette against glowing atomic gas.

A composite of narrowband and broadband telescopic images, the
view spans about 15 light-years and includes emission
from ionized
hydrogen,
sulfur, and
oxygen
atoms mapped to green, red, and blue hues in the popular
Hubble Palette.

Wider field images
reveal that IC 1805’s simpler,
overall outline suggests its popular name – the
Heart Nebula.

IC 1805 is located about 7,500
light years away toward the
boastful constellation Cassiopeia.