The Veil Nebula

 

Object Type: Supernova Remnant

Top Image: Pickering's Triangle

Scope: AP 5" Refractor

Exposure 180 minutes

​

Bottom Image: Full Cygnus Loop
Scope: Orion APO 80mm
Exposure 300 minutes mosaic

 

 

Sometime between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago a star 20 times the mass of our sun and located 2,400 light-years away exploded in a violent supernova which would have made it visible in daytime for a while. The supernova remnant of gases expanding in space is known as the Cygnus Loop / Veil Nebula spread across 3 degrees of the sky (6 times the diameter of the moon). The eastern and western parts of this nebula were discovered in the 19th century and can also be viewed visually.

It was discovered on 1784 September 5 by William Herschel. 

He described the western end of the nebula as "Extended; passes thro' 52 Cygni... near 2 degree in length." and described the eastern end as "Branching nebulosity... The following part divides into several streams uniting again towards the south."

​

The image above is of a section of the nebula which is much fainter than the two more famous parts. It was discovered by Scottish female astronomer Williamina Fleming in 1904, however, as was the custom in the day, the credit was given to the director of her observatory, Edward Charles Pickering. It is known as Pickering’s Triangle or Pickering’s Triangular Wisp and has no formal NGC designation though sometimes it is associated with the nearby NGC 6979. It is sometimes referred to as Fleming's Triangular Wisp in honor of Williamina Fleming who also discovered the famous Horse Head Nebula.

​