Sh2-180

This rarely shot emission region in Cassiopeia is nestled between Sh2-182 and Sh2-177.

It was once thought to be part of the Cassiopeia OB associations (loose collections of young, massive stars) in the Perseus arm of the galaxy, but later estimates place it beyond that in the Norma/Outer arm. The latest distance estimate I could find, from 1984, places it at 5,150 parsecs—or 18,000 light years—from Earth. To me, its somewhat circular filamentary structure looks more like a planetary nebula or supernova remnant. Yet another opportunity for further study by an up-and-coming graduate student.