This image is a wide-field astrophotograph of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) and the Lobster Claw Nebula (Sharpless 157 or Sh2-157), taken in the Hubble Palette SHO (Sulfur-Hydrogen-Oxygen) style. The prominent blue-tinted bubble shape to the upper left of center is the Bubble Nebula, while the complex, claw-like emission nebula occupies the right and lower center portions of the image and is known as the Lobster Claw Nebula (Sh2-157).
Key Features in the Image
- • Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635): Seen at the upper left, it is a bright, round bubble formed by stellar winds from a hot, massive star interacting with surrounding molecular clouds. This nebula glows mainly due to excited hydrogen atoms.
- • Lobster Claw Nebula (Sh2-157): Dominating the right and center, this large emission nebula is part of the Cassiopeia constellation. The region features active star formation and rich, structured filaments seen in narrowband imaging.
- • Other Notable Objects: The field may also include open clusters like NGC 7510 (beneath the ‘claw’), NGC 7538 (near the Bubble Nebula), and small patches such as Herbig-Haro 170 and Sh2-159 situated between the major nebulae.
This region is popular in astrophotography due to its dramatic interplay of nebulosity and star fields, best captured with a wide field of view and narrowband filters.
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