Object of the Season (Summer 2017)

The "Veil Nebula" in Cygnus

This is the famous “Veil Nebula”. It was first seen by William and John Herschel. Dreyer used several NGC-numbers for the various parts of the extended supernova remnant. The western wing (NGC 6960) is around the star 52 Cygni. A small telescope with large field of view should show the “Veil” under dark sky conditions. A line filter is very useful.

The Veil Nebula taken with Canon 200mm lens and SBIG camera by Rainer Sparenberg and Stefan Binnewies
This image of the Veil Nebula was provided by Rainer Sparenberg and Stefan Binnewies.
Name
The Veil Nebula
Position (2000)
20 45 38 +30 42 30 (Cyg)
Type
Emission Nebula (supernovaremnant)
Magnitude
7
Size
3° (100ly)
Distance
1470 ly
Other Designations
NGC 6960, NGC 6974, NGC 6979, NGC 6992, NGC 6995, IC 1340, Caldwell 33/34, LBN 191, CED 182

Results of the observations of NGC6960/92/95 will be published in DSO 178.

Wolfgang Steinicke - Nebulae and Clusters Section Director