Soul Nebula

The companion to the Heart Nebula (IC 1805), sitting side by side in Cassiopeia at about 6,500 light-years. The Soul is a large emission nebula dotted with several small open clusters and dark Bok globules — dense knots of dust and gas that may be collapsing to form new stars. This is a stitched mosaic, combining multiple panels to capture the full extent of the nebula — a technique that trades a lot of acquisition and processing time for a wider field of view than any single frame could deliver.