Soul Nebula (IC 1848)
History
American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard discovered this nebula photographically and notified Dreyer directly, which included it as IC 1848 in his «Second Index Catalogue» published in 1910. The IC description reads: «Cluster, faint stars, extends 8' following, in faint nebulosity.» [315, 364]
IC 1848 was nicknamed the «Soul Nebula» because of the neighbouring nebula IC 1805. Both are often referred to as the «Heart and Soul Nebula» when depicted in wide-field images. Another common nickname is «Baby Nebula», as it resembles a baby in shape.
Physical Properties
The Heart (IC 1805) and Soul (IC 1848) nebulae are part of the Cas OB6 Association, a sprawling complex of gas, dust and massive O- and B-class stars in the Perseus Arm. [364] Simbad lists distances ranging from ~1.7 kpc to ~6.1 kpc. [145]
| Name | RA | Dec | Type | vMag | Dim | MD | Dreyer Description | Identification, Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IC 1848 | 02 51 18.0 | +60 24 30 | OCL (IV3pn) | 6.5 | 18 | 2.002 | Cl, st F, extends 8m f, in F neby | OCL 364; LBN 667 |
| IC 1871 | 02 57 21.7 | +60 40 20 | EN | 2.000 | * 9.3 nebs, chiefly f | LBN 675 |
Finder Chart
The Soul Nebula is located in the constellation Cassiopeia. In Central Europe it is circumpolar. The best time to observe, however, is July to January, when the constellation is highest at night. About 2.5 degrees further west is the Heart Nebula (Sh 2-199 with cluster IC 1805).
