NGC 6960, west end of the Veil Nebula

The Witch's Broom Nebula

Instrument: Takahashi FS-102.
Filters: None.
Exposure: 3 x 60 + 3 z 120 sec @ISO 800 NR on.
Camera: Canon 20D.
Software: K3CCDTools, Photoshop CS2, Neatimage.
Location: 10 22 29.33 E - 59 11 47.83 N.
Date: 04.10.2005.
Local Time: 22.08.
Comments: No darks or flats used.
Guiding: Guiding with K3CCDTools and my Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2.8 @75mm and webcam.
Explanation: Pictured above is the west end of the Veil Nebula known technically as NGC 6960 but less formally as the Witch's Broom Nebula. The rampaging gas gains its colors by impacting and exciting existing nearby gas. The supernova remnant lies about 1400 light-years away towards the constellation of Cygnus. This Witch's Broom actually spans over three times the angular size of the full Moon. The bright star 52 Cygnus is visible with the unaided eye from a dark location but unrelated to the ancient supernova.

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