This image contains the central section of the Perseus molecular cloud (Per MCld) near the star Atik (Alatik) in the left third of the image with the star forming nebula IC 348 below it and NGC 1333 at the lower right edge. This giant molecular cloud in the constellation of Perseus is approximately 1000 light years away and contains over 10,000 solar masses of gas and dust covering an area of over 6 by 2 degrees.

IC 348 is a star-forming region that consists of nebulosity and an associated 2-to-5-million-year-old cluster of roughly 400 stars within an angular diameter of 20″.

NGC 1333 is a reflection nebula located in the northern constellation Perseus, positioned next to the southern constellation border with Taurus and Aries. It was first discovered by German astronomer Eduard Schönfeld in 1855. The nebula is visible as a hazy patch in a small telescope, while a larger aperture will show a pair of dark nebulae designated Barnard 1 and Barnard 2. It is in the western part of the Perseus molecular cloud and is a young region of very active star formation.

This stack of 159 one-minute exposures was taken with my QHY268C on my AT60ED with 0.8x focal reducer and processed in PixInsight.

Image Center:	View full size annotated image.
Right Ascension:	3h 39m 11.438s (54° 47m 51.568s)
Declination:	+31° 54m 0.204s
Orientation:	Up is 0.7 degrees East of North.
Image Size:	4.538° x 3.010°	Pixel Scale:	2.692"

Principal objects in field: 38 Per), 42 Per, Alatik (ο Per, Ati, IC 348, NGC 1333, The star Atik, The star n Per, omi Per Cloud

All identified catalog objects: IC 1985, IC 348, NGC 1333, n Per / 42 Per, ο Per / 38 Per/Atik / Ati / Alatik