The Heart and the Soul Nebulae are situated in the constellation Cassiopeia and when we look at them we are seeing the light that left 7,500 years ago. At that point in time, 7,500 years ago, we had not even invented the wheel and the Bronze Age was still to emerge. Unimaginable that the light has taken this time to reach our eyes.
These 2 Nebulae are star forming regions.
If you look at the top left of this star map you will see two red patches. This is the location of the Heart and Soul Nebulae
The Soul Nebula
Also known as the Embryo nebula, the red colour is caused by the presence of hydrogen gases and the shape is ‘carved’ by extreme solar winds. The winds are produced by the many newborn stars very much younger than our own sun.
Photo: Milan Davidovic. Embsay 2023
The Heart Nebula
This fabulous target gets its name from the shape that it resembles. It is very large but faint, and at the centre of the Heart is Melotte 15.
See here for more info https://cosgrovescosmos.com/projects/melotte15
Photo: Milan Davidovic. Embsay 2023
The Embsay Night Sky April 2024
Looking North at 10pm on 8th April
Low in the North is the Constellation Cassiopeia - its famous ‘W’ pattern almost tilted to form an ‘E’. Vega is shining brightly due North East on the horizon. If we are lucky to have a clear night, low in the North West on 12th April, we should see the Pleiades, Uranus, Jupiter and the recently brightened comet Pons-Brookes (see last month’s article) all aligned together.
Looking South at 10pm on 8th April
Leo is half-way up in the sky. It is easy to spot as it has a reverse shaped ‘question mark’ or Sickle as its head. In fact, Leo is one of only a few constellations that look like the real thing, a crouching lion. Hercules was said to have wrestled with it as his first (of twelve) labours. Denebola marks the end of his tail. You can also see the yellow line of the ecliptic passing through Regulus, this is the path that the planets appear to follow across the sky. Bellow the constellation quite close to Chertan are a series of small galaxies that can be spotted in a small telescope. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/explore-night-bob-king/exploring-bright-galaxy-groups-in-leo/
Of course I could write about the great American Total Solar Eclipse on the 8th but unfortunately we don’t get to see it! If you are out there try to get a look!
Clear Skies
Milan Davidovic
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