North is to the top.
To the left is the Eastern Veil, or NGC 6992. In the center is
Pickering's Triangle. To the right, is the Witch's Broom
Nebula, or NGC 6960.
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These wisps of gas are all that remain visible of a Milky Way star.
Many thousands of years ago that star exploded in a supernova
leaving the Veil Nebula. At the time, the expanding cloud was likely
as bright as a crescent Moon toward the constellation of Cygnus,
visible for weeks to people living at the dawn of recorded history.
The remaining supernova remnant lies about 1400 light-years away and
covers over five times the size of the full Moon. The bright wisp on
the right is known as the Witch's Broom Nebula and can be seen with
a small telescope. The Veil Nebula is also known as the Cygnus Loop.
Source: NASA
APOD
