Heart Nebula

About the object

The Heart Nebula in Cassiopeia, a large cloud of glowing hydrogen whose outline forms a heart in photographs. It is inflated from within by the young cluster Melotte 15 at its centre: hot stars tens of times more massive than the Sun push the gas away and carve pillars and arches in it. Together with the neighbouring Soul Nebula it forms one of the largest star-forming regions in the Perseus Arm.

Distance: about 7,500 light-years, apparent size in the sky: ≈ 2,5°, constellation Cassiopeia.

How it was shot

Everything here was shot with a DWARF Mini smart telescope from a balcony in a city in Ukraine: light-polluted sky, only the eastern half of it visible, and a roof overhang that cuts off the south. 9 nights (5 nights in September and 4 in October), 9 sessions, 581 frames with exposures of 60 and 180 s, a dual-band Hα/OIII filter that passes only the glow of hydrogen and oxygen and blocks most of the city light pollution. The stack holds 12 h 40 min of light; the longest night, 8 October, gave 2 h 22 min. The goal for this object is 4 h, and it is reached. First night 5 September 2026, last one 10 October 2026.

Heart Nebula in the night log: 4 September, 7 September, 8 September, 16 September, 30 September, 1 October, 8 October, 9 October, 10 October.

How it went

The Heart was shot over nine dual-band sessions, first at 180 seconds, then at 60: long frames collect more but are rejected more often. The nebula rises above the roof for only a few hours, and the edge of the overhang ate part of one night's frames. A dew shield against street lights helped in the evening hours. The central cluster and the pillars around it came out crisp; the object is closed in the challenge.