Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> The Veil nebula, IC 1340

The Veil nebula, IC 1340

author: P.Mortfield/S.Cancelli/Novapix

reference: a-snv11-00052

Image Size 300 DPI: 34 * 33 cm

This image shows a faint portion of the eastern veil nebula in Cygnus, a large, almost spherical glowing shell of gas, the expanding remains of a star that exploded between 5,000 and 8,000 years ago. The nebula (and thus its precursor star) is about 1900 light years distant and about 100 light years across. It is the result of the shockwave from the explosion exciting the tenuous interstellar medium and making it glow. Shooting in these wavelengths and with the color combine choices yielded a spooky view of something resembling a Bat or Owl. Red is Hydrogen, Blue is Oxygen, Green is the product of both.

Keywords for this photo:

2008 - ASTRONOMY - CYGNUS - CYGNUS LOOP - EVOLUTION - FALSE COLOR - IC 1340 - NGC 6992 - NGC 6995 - STAR - SUPERNOVA - SUPERNOVA REMNANT - VEIL NEBULA -