Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cygnus (Cyg)  ·  Contains:  Filamentary nebula  ·  Lace-work nebula  ·  NGC 6960  ·  The star 52Cyg  ·  Veil nebula
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NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West, Richard Pattie
NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West
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NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West, Richard Pattie
NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West
Powered byPixInsight

NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West

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Description

Ten thousand years ago, before the dawn of recorded human history, a new light would suddenly have appeared in the night sky and faded after a few weeks. Today we know this light was from a supernova, or exploding star, and record the expanding debris cloud as the Veil Nebula—also known as The Witch's Broom—a supernova remnant. Blasted out in the cataclysmic explosion, the interstellar shock wave plows through space sweeping up and exciting interstellar material. Imaged with narrow band filters, the glowing filaments are like long ripples in a sheet seen almost edge on, remarkably well separated into atomic hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue) gas. The complete supernova remnant lies about 1400 light-years away towards the constellation Cygnus. This Witch's Broom actually spans about 35 light-years. The bright star in the frame is 52 Cygni, visible with the unaided eye from a dark location but unrelated to the ancient supernova remnant. [Source: APOD]

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NGC 6960 Veil Nebula West, Richard Pattie