The Cygnus Loop

This is a preliminary image of the supernova remnant known as the Cygnus loop.

About 15,000 years ago a star's life ended with a large supernova explosion. Since then a blast wave has been travelling across space carrying with it heavy elements & pushing a bow wave of compressed interstellar gas; it is this that we see in the photograph.

The expanse of this phenomonom spreads 6 times the diameter of the full moon, across one of the wings of Cygnus the Swan. It is some 2,600 light years from earth.

Image Data:
Focal Length 200mm
Focal Ratio f3.2
Exposure 25 mins

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