Close-up: The 'Phantoms' of Star Gamma Cassiopeia—Nebulae IC 59 & IC 63

Close-up: The 'Phantoms' of Star Gamma Cassiopeia—Nebulae IC 59 & IC 63

These brightly outlined flowing shapes look ghostly on a cosmic scale. A telescopic view toward the constellation Cassiopeia, the colorful skyscape features the swept-back, comet-shaped clouds IC 59 (left) and IC 63. About 600 light-years distant, the clouds are not actually ghosts. They are slowly disappearing though, under the influence of energetic radiation from hot, luminous star gamma Cas. 

Gamma Cas is physically located only 3 to 4 light-years from the nebulae and lies just above the right edge of the frame. Slightly closer to gamma Cas, IC 63 is dominated by red H-alpha light emitted as hydrogen atoms ionized by the hot star's ultraviolet radiation recombine with electrons. Farther from the star, IC 59 shows less H-alpha emission but more of the characteristic blue tint of dust reflected star light. The field of view spans over 1 degree or 10 light-years at the estimated distance of the interstellar apparitions.

Image Credit & Copyright: Christophe Vergnes, Hervé Laur

Christophe's website: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Chris.V/

Release Date: Oct. 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Star #GammaCassiopeiae #GammaCas #Nebulas #Nebulae #IC59 #IC63 #Cassiopeia #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotographers #ChristopheVergnes #HervéLaur #Astrophotography #STEM #Education #APoD