Known as Heart Nebulathe gigantic gas cloud IC 1805 was captured by astrophotographer Ronald Brecher in a high-quality image. In a recent publication on his website, Brecher describes the complexity of the cosmic region, which is home to several other celestial objects.
Located approximately 7,500 light years from Earth, in the constellation Cassiopeiathe nebula is part of a region known as the Perseus Arm. In this area of the world, it is also possible to find thousands of young stars and other better known ones, such as Segin (Epsilon Cassiopeiae).
The region has a large amount of hydrogen and other gases, occupying an area more than 300 light years in diameter. IC 1805 is a neighbor of the Soul Nebula (IC 1848) and the Fishhead Nebula (IC 1795).
How was the Heart Nebula photographed?
Despite its magnitude, the Heart Nebula is a region of space that is relatively easy to photograph from . However, it is not possible to observe it clearly just by looking through the telescope. However, using a camera with long exposure mode helps you capture much more detailed images.
In Brecher’s case, he used the QHY367C Pro astronomical camera combined with the Sky-Watcher Esprit 70 EDX telescope, in addition to other specific equipment. The total exposure of the photograph lasted more than 40 hours, and was carried out in September 2025 from a region in Canada.
On his official blog, the astrophotographer explains that he used two color palettes, known as Hubble and Foraxx.
The image of the Heart Nebula clearly shows the reason behind its name: the shape that resembles a human heart.
“I’ve never captured this entire object in a narrowband color palette, so this was a fun dataset to process,” Brecher said on his official website when commenting on the image.
To perform image pre-processing and processing, filters, noise reduction, contrast enhancement were usedamong other settings.
What is the Heart Nebula
Also called Sh2-190, the Heart Nebula is located in a dense region that is home to several star clusters and other nebulae. Including the intense emission of cosmic gases in this area gives rise to the initial processes that form .
How to observe the Heart Nebula
As the process does not require million-dollar equipment from NASA, amateur astronomers can use their own telescopes and cameras to photograph the Heart Nebula.
Enthusiasts can observe it by pointing the telescope toward the constellation Cassiopeia, five degrees from the star Segin.
