The Cosmos with IC 1848
The Soul nebula in Cassiopeia is a faint hydrogen emission nebula 6500 light years away and about 100 light years across. The Soul Nebula is being carved out by the stellar winds from the stars embedded within it, a process that leaves behind large pillars of material pointing inwards. These pillars are very dense and have stars forming at their tips. Each pillar spans about 10 light years. The Soul Nebula lies in the vicinity of several notable deep sky objects: the galaxies Maffei 1 and Maffei 2, the Fishhead Nebula (IC 1795), and the famous Double Cluster in Perseus.