The nebula known as “Cassiopeia’s Ghost” was recently captured in stunning detail by the Al Khatam Astronomical Observatory from the Abu Dhabi desert. This celestial feature, named for its ghostly shape and its location within the Cassiopeia star group, is composed of cosmic gas and dust and is situated 550 light-years away.
The Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomical Centre explained that the nebula appears predominantly red due to ultraviolet radiation from a nearby giant blue star, Gamma Cassiopeia, which is not visible in the image. The light blue hues result from the reflection of these rays off the dust within the nebula.
The photograph was taken using the main observatory telescope, which has a 36 cm diameter. The final image is a composite of 464 individual shots: 156 with a hydrogen filter, 153 with a sulfur filter, and 155 with an oxygen filter, each with a 3-minute exposure, totaling 23 hours of observation.