The Central Soul Nebula Without Stars

Explanation: This cosmic close-up looks deep inside the Soul Nebula . The dark and brooding dust cloud s near the top, outlined by bright ridges of glowing gas, are cataloged as IC 1871 . About 25 light-years across, the telescopic field of view spans only a small part of the much larger Heart and Soul nebulae. At an estimated distance of 6,500 light-years the star-forming complex lies within the Perseus spiral arm of our Milky Way Galaxy, seen in planet Earth's skies toward the constellation Cassiopeia. An example of triggered star formation , the dense star-forming clouds in the Soul Nebula are themselves sculpted by the intense winds and radiation of the region's massive young stars. In the featured image , stars have been digitally removed to highlight the commotion in the gas and dust.