StormEffects
Nightscapes & Deep Sky Colors
Astrophotography © Brian A. Morganti
NGC 6960 Western Loop of Veil Nebula
The Witch's Broom
Cygnus
About 10,000 years ago, a supergiant star in the constellation Cygnus exploded as a supernova. Despite its distance of about 2,500 light-years, the supernova may have shown as bright as the moon for weeks, but no records of its observation have been discovered. The gas expelled by this explosion has been expanding as a giant bubble, now colliding with hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur gases that were previously shed by the dying star. The collision creates a shock front, exciting the gases similar to an emission nebula with red hydrogen and teal oxygen. IMAGE DETAILS:
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