West veil nebula

Informations

The West Veil Nebula, also known as NGC 6960, is part of the larger Veil Nebula complex, which was first discovered by William Herschel in 1784. The Veil Nebula is a massive supernova remnant, and NGC 6960 is often referred to as the “Witch’s Broom Nebula” due to its broom-like appearance. It is also cataloged as Caldwell 34. This impressive structure lies in the constellation Cygnus and is located about 2,400 light-years away from Earth.

A supernova remnant is the leftover material from a massive star that exploded in a supernova, scattering its outer layers into space. These remnants are composed of ionized gases and can span several hundred light-years. The Veil Nebula complex is thought to have been created by a supernova that occurred between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago.

In the West Veil Nebula, the bright filaments we see come from the shockwaves of the supernova, which are still moving through space, ionizing the surrounding gas. The nebula emits light as these gases are excited by the shockwave’s energy. The nebula is rich in ionized hydrogen, which glows red, and ionized oxygen, which produces a blue-green glow.

I love the the West Veil Nebula, it’s a stunning example of the aftermath of a stellar explosion.

I might need to take 4 more hours to see what it could be looking like.