HEART NEBULA / MELOTTE 15

The Heart Nebula (IC 1805 or Sh2-190) is about 7500 light-years away and is located in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is an emission nebula that shows glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust streaks. The nebula's deep red emission and morphology are driven by radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the center of the nebula. This open cluster of stars, known as Collinder 26 or Melotte 15, contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of our Sun and many other faint stars that are only a fraction of the mass of our Sun. The large amount of hydrogen present in the area contributed significantly to the birth of this star cluster a few million years ago.