Heart and Soul Nebulas

In Astrophotography by Matt Shetzer

Heart and Soul Nebulas

Click image for detailed view

The Heart Nebula also known as the Running dog nebula is an emission nebula, 7500 light years away from Earth and located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. It displays glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes.

The brightest part of the nebula (a knot at its western edge) is separately classified as NGC 896, because it was the first part of the nebula to be discovered. The nebula’s intense red output and its morphology are driven by the radiation emanating from a small group of stars near the nebula’s center.

The Heart Nebula is made up of ionized oxygen and sulfur gasses, responsible for the rich blue and orange colors seen in narrowband images of Ha, Siii and Oii

Object Heart and Soul Nebula
Link https://www.shetzers.com/heart-and-soul-nebulas/
Wiki Link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_Nebula
Hemisphere Northern
Constellation Cassiopeia
Other Names contained in image Running dog nebula, IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190)
Imaging telescopes or lenses Takahashi FSQ -106ED4
Imaging cameras QHY268M
Mounts Software Bisque Paramount MYT
Focal reducers None
Software Software Bisque The Sky X, N.I.N.A., PHD Lab PHD2, Viking,  PixInsight, Photoshop, Lightroom
Filters Astrodon LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance  36mm unmounted. Chroma Technology Narrowband 3nm Ha, SII, OIII – 36mm Unmounted
Accessories Moonlite NightCrawler 35 focuser, Maxdome II, Digital Loggers Pro Switch, Sky Alert Weather Station, Pegagsus Ultimate Powerbox v2, Starlight Xpress filter wheel.
Guiding Telescope or Lenses Orion 60mm Guide Scope
Guiding Camera ZWO ASI290MM Mini
Imaging Dates 12/20/21,1/20/22, 1/30/22,9/1/22,9/2/22,9/3/22,9/4/22,9/5/22,9/6/22,9/9/22,9/10/22,9/11/22,9/12/22
Frames Luminance: 8×180″  (0.4h)  Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Red: 8×180″ (0.4h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Green: 6×180″ (0.3h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Blue:7×180″ (0.35h) Gain 25, Photographic Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Ha: 56×600″ (9.3h) Gain 60, High Gain Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
OII: 44×600″ (7.3h) Gain 60, High Gain Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
SIII: 49×600″ (8.2h) Gain 60, High Gain Mode, Temp -10C, Bin 1×1
Integration 26h 15m
Darks 50
Flats 20 per Filter
Flat Darks 40
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale: 2
RA center 38.002
DEC center 61.4969
Pixel scale 3.76
Resolution 6280 x 4210
Locations Sirus 3.5m Observatory, Carbondale Colorado
Data source Backyard
Seeing Average
Post Processing Techniques PixInsight to Photoshop to Lightroom
Heart and Soul Nebulas was last modified: January 23rd, 2023 by Matt Shetzer