The Veil Nebula, the remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago, is one of the best known supernova remnants. Once a star 20 times more massive than our Sun, the nebula is now about 110 light-years across. Just 2,100 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, both the winner and runner-up in our Photo of the Week contest for August 7, 2020 have brought the Veil Nebula to life.
Taking first place is Greg Polanski with his stunning image of the Eastern Veil Nebula.
Shooting from his Bortle-6 backyard in Kanata, Ontario, over June 19, June 22, July 6 and July 8, 2020, Polanski’s integration time was 11.5 hours. He used Hydrogen Alpha and Oxygen filters with his Sky-Watcher 150/750, Sky-Watcher Black Diamond imaging telescope and QHY163M imaging camera on his Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro (EQMOD) mount.
This mesmerizing image clearly shows the delicate filaments of gas and particulates, a beautiful deception for what was an incredibly violent event.
In all things there is a duality, a balance. If there is an east, there comes a west.
As the Eastern Veil Nebula took the top spot this week, the Western Veil Nebula — imaged by Jason Dain — received the honourable mention.
Shooting from Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia, Dain used a Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED APO Triplet Refractor with an Esprit 100 ED APO lens and a Nikon D7200 camera on a Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro mount.
The vibrant colours of the nebula add to the beauty of the filaments. The picture really does convey the image of a veil suspended in space and time.
