2018 Oct. 5 ~ Westerhout 5 (the Soul Nebula) in Cassiopeia [WITH LABELS]

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Photographed at Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, between 01.55 and 02.20 EDT

(285 km by road north of Toronto)

* Altitude of nebula at time of exposures: 71-73°

* Temperature 2° C.

 

* Total exposure time: 12 minutes

* 660 mm focal length telescope

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Description:

 

Close to the familiar "W" shape of the bright stars in the prominent northern hemisphere autumn constellation Cassiopeia lie several large but faint hydrogen gas clouds.

 

One of these, the so-called "Soul" or "Embryo" Nebula, is formally designated Westerhout 5, LBN 667, or Sharpless 2-199. The open star cluster IC 1848 is found in the body of the nebula, to the right of centre in this photo.

 

From the Constellation Guide:

 

"The Heart and Soul Nebulae complex spans an area about 300 light years across and is a vast star-forming region illuminated by the light of the young stars surrounded by star-forming clouds of dust and gas. The two large clouds are separated by only 2.5 degrees and physically connected by a bridge of gas. The stars in the region are less than a few million years old and are only beginning their life. For comparison, our Sun has been around for almost 5 billion years. The Soul Nebula is about 100 light years across and has an estimated age of 1 million years."

 

For a view of the extraordinarily shaped Heart Nebula, made on the same evening, click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/44265269975

 

For a version of this photo WITHOUT LABELS, click on your screen to the LEFT of the photo, or click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/44288351505

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Technical information:

 

Nikon D810a camera body on Tele Vue 127is (127 mm - 5" - diameter) apochromatic astrograph, mounted on Astrophysics 1100GTO equatorial mount

 

Twelve stacked subframes; each frame:

ISO 8000; 1 minute exposure at f/5.2, unguided

(with LENR - long exposure noise reduction)

 

Subframes stacked in RegiStar;

Processed in Photoshop CS6 (levels, colour balance)

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Done