APOD Entry #6 Central IC 1805

The "clouds" seen here are formed by stellar winds and massive radiation from young stars. The cluster is about 1.5 million years old. The image is a composite of many images, made by narrow band telescopic. It spans about 15 light-years. The colors are formed by different elemental emissions. Green is hydrogen, red is sulfur, and oxygen is blue. IC 1805, of the "Heart Nebula," is about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation Cassiopeia.