Eastern Veil Nebula

What is it?

Part of the Cygnus Loop, a large supernova remnant. A massive star exploded thousands of years ago. Its expanding shock is still interacting with surrounding gas.

What can you see?

The long, delicate arcs are glowing filaments. Red and blue-green light can trace different emissions and conditions in the gas. The displayed colours also depend on capture and processing.

Why does it look like a thin veil?

We are seeing bright parts of a much larger expanding structure. Thin sheets of gas can look especially bright along their edges. The photograph records their projected shapes, not a complete map of their depth.