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Veil Nebula - SHO

Large supernova remnant in Cygnus captured in SHO palette

Veil Nebula - SHO

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Deep Space Capture

Technical Specifications

Resolution: 12275x8274

Integration: 400 subexposures × 300s each

Captured: June 6, 2022

Equipment: William Optics Redcat 71 with ZWO ASI2600MM Pro camera on Advanced VX mount

Location: Backyard location during 38.92% moon phase

Processing Workflow

Total integration time: 33 hours 20 minutes
ZWO 7nm narrowband filters: Ha, OIII, and SII
SHO color mapping for enhanced contrast and detail
Wide-field capture showing entire Veil complex
Advanced processing in PixInsight
Captured during partial moon phase conditions

Scientific Context

The Veil Nebula is a large supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus, formed from the explosive death of a massive star approximately 8,000 years ago. This enormous shock wave structure spans about 3 degrees across the sky - roughly six times the diameter of the full moon.

The nebula consists of multiple sections, including the Eastern Veil (NGC 6992), Western Veil (NGC 6960), and Pickering's Triangle. This wide-field image captures the entire complex, showcasing the intricate filamentary structures created by the expanding shock wave as it interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium.

This SHO (Sulfur-Hydrogen-Oxygen) image reveals the complex physics occurring within the remnant. Different emission lines trace various physical processes: hydrogen-alpha shows the primary shock fronts, oxygen-III highlights the hottest regions, and sulfur-II traces intermediate temperature zones. The resulting color palette creates a stunning visual representation of this cosmic catastrophe.