Explanation: Wisps like this are all that remain visible of a Milky Way star. About 9,000 years ago that star exploded in a supernova leaving the Veil Nebula, also known as the Cygnus Loop. At the time, the expanding cloud was likely as bright as a crescent Moon, remaining visible for weeks to people living at the dawn of recorded history. Today, the resulting supernova remnant has faded and is now visible only through a small telescope directed toward the constellation of the Swan (Cygnus). The remaining Veil Nebula is physically huge, however, and even though it lies about 1,400 light-years distant, it covers over five times the size of the full Moon. In images like this of the complete Veil Nebula, studious readers should be able to identify several of the individual filaments. A bright wisp at the right is known as the Witch's Broom Nebula.
Man, look at that "wall of stars"! Great object and picture.
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Re: APOD: Wisps of the Veil Nebula (2012 Nov 26)
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:02 am
by alter-ego
Boomer12k wrote:Man, look at that "wall of stars"! Great object and picture.
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Wall of stars is right!
Comparing equivalent areas (12.5' x 21') centered near HIP102876 of the APOD and the STScI Sky Survey, the limiting magnitudes are about the same(≈+21)! 33+ hours of unguided 5min exposures - Very impressive
Wisps of the Veil Nebula
