Located approximately 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, IC 1805 is a large emission nebula commonly known as the Heart Nebula due to its distinctive heart-shaped appearance. The nebula is an active star-forming region energized by the young, massive stars of the open cluster Melotte 15 near its center.
This image was captured as a 2×2 mosaic using narrowband Hydrogen-Alpha (Hα) and Oxygen-III (OIII) filters. Over 71 hours of total integration time were accumulated across four mosaic panels between August and December 2025. The bright region to the lower right is IC 1795, often referred to as the Fish Head Nebula, another active stellar nursery located within the same complex.
The Heart Nebula spans more than 200 light-years and contains towering pillars of gas and dust sculpted by intense stellar radiation and winds. These structures represent regions where future generations of stars may eventually form. The data was acquired from August through December 2025.