Heart Nebula ( IC 1805, Sh2-190 )
- Emission, Reflection and Dark Nebula in Cassiopeia

Askar FRA500; iOptron HEM27; ASI2600MC; Antlia Triband RGB ultra filter; 1x3 Mosaic, September 2023
3 Panel Mosaic: (38,39,39 x 540s exposures, Bin 1x1, Gain 100)
Total Integration Time = 17.4 hours
The Heart Nebula is a much photographed emission nebula and star forming region in Cassiopeia. It's shape is driven by the star cluster that the dust complex once formed. Stellar winds have blown away the components into the heart shape and continue to energize the light emissions in colours according to their make-up and density. The nebula is 7500 lys away and occupies about four full moons worth of sky real estate.

For a change, I wanted to image something that was both big and bright, and it was prime season for The Heart. In order to capture it in sufficient detail with my FRA500, I realized that I would have to create a mosaic. I was also inspired by the magnificent image: The Heart and HB3 by Bray Falls which showed that there was some emission signal past the Fish Head nebula in the middle of this image. By creating a 1x3 mosaic I could get pretty much the whole subject and test out my ability to also capture this nebulosity.

As it turns out, my OSC camera and Antlia triband filter did a great job of the brighter Heart subject, and also not too shabby on the emission on the far side of the fish head. What was a surprise to me was all of the reflection nebulosity that this