AstronomyPicture of the Day—20181130

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2018 November 30

IC1871: Inside the Soul Nebula

ImageCredit & Copyright: Mark Hanson

Explanation:This cosmic close-up looks deep inside the Soul Nebula. The dark and brooding dustclouds on the left, outlined by bright ridges of glowing gas, are cataloged asIC 1871. About 25 light-years across, the telescopic field of view spans only asmall part of the much larger Heart and Soul nebulae. At an estimated distanceof 6,500 light-years the star-forming complex lies within the Perseus spiralarm of our Milky Way Galaxy, seen in planet Earth's skies toward theconstellation Cassiopeia. An example of triggered star formation, the densestar-forming clouds of IC 1871 are themselves sculpted by the intense winds andradiation of the region's massive young stars. The featured image appearsmostly red due to the emission of a specific color of light emitted by excitedhydrogen gas.