The Eastern Veil Nebula; Filaments of a Dying Star (Unframed)

Image Description

A region of Cygnus where delicate elegance and violent astrophysical processes coexist within the same frame. The capture period spanned just under two months, allowing for a carefully balanced and methodical accumulation of data across all channels.

The Veil Nebula, located in the constellation Cygnus, is one of the most striking and scientifically significant supernova remnants in the night sky. Formed by the explosive death of a massive star approximately 10,000–20,000 years ago and lying around 2,100 light-years from Earth, it spans an enormous region of space more than 100 light-years across. The delicate, filamentary structures seen throughout the nebula are vast shock fronts, where high-velocity debris from the supernova continues to collide with the surrounding interstellar medium, ionising the gas and causing it to glow. Rich in oxygen, hydrogen, and sulphur emissions, the Veil Nebula offers a rare, edge-on view of a supernova shockwave in action, revealing both the destructive power of stellar death and its crucial role in enriching and shaping the interstellar environment.

This image was captured using a twin ZWO FF130 refractor setup, allowing us to collect an exceptionally deep and well-balanced dataset across multiple wavelengths. The narrowband data form the foundation of the image, with 24 hours of Sulphur II, 36 hours of Hydrogen-alpha, and an extensive 50 hours of Oxygen III, revealing the complex shock fronts and fine filamentary structure that define the Veil Nebula. To preserve natural star colour and maintain a clean aesthetic, an additional 4.5 hours of RGB data were captured exclusively for the stars. The long total integration time enables faint structures and subtle emission gradients to emerge while maintaining high signal-to-noise, offering a detailed view of this evolving supernova remnant and the interplay of its ionised gases.

Imaging System

Our twin 130mm APO quadruplet refractors are mounted on a strong custom adaptor plate, riding securely on a Paramount ME. At the rear of each OTA is a rotator and EFW with complete Antlia LRGB + 3nm SHO filter sets, these in turn feed the photons into twin ASI2600MM Pro cameras. Though the Paramount is capable of unguided imaging, we opted for OAG to support dithering. Focus is automated for each OTA through ZWO EAFs. Power distribution and USB control is managed through a Pegasus UPB v3, with remote power strips and a UPS for redundancy.

The system is hosted by PixelSkiesAstro remote observatory in Southern Spain where the roof frequently rolls off to a clear, dark sky. Both telescopes run in parallel, doubling the exposure time on target.

We utilise NINA for an almost completely autonomous data acquisition solution, relying heavily on the Target Scheduler plugin to synchronise all three cameras and select the most suitable targets from our wish-list. SyncThing ensures the raw data is transferred overnight and waiting on our home PCs each morning, ready for backup and queued for calibration. The complexity of the rig is matched by an equally capable imaging server with redundant drives, ample memory and automated Discord status updates - keeping us both informed throughout the night.

Print

Our premium semi-glossy paper enhances colours with a subtle shine and protects against fading from light or moisture:

• Paper Finishing: Semi-glossy, enhances colours with a subtle shine.
• Paper Weight: 200 gsm (80 lb), thickness: 0.22 mm (8.7 mils).
• Sustainable Paper: FSC-certified or equivalent paper for sustainability.
• Available Sizes: 21x29.7cm, 30x40cm and 50x70cm.