Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2025 October 1
   [2]A starfield is shown that has a multi-filament nebula flowing across
   it horizontally. The most prominent colors are red and blue. Please see
               the explanation for more detailed information.

                     NGC 6960: The Witch's Broom Nebula
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Brian Meyers

   Explanation: Ten thousand years ago, before the dawn of recorded human
   history, a new light would suddenly have appeared in the night sky and
   faded after a few weeks. Today we know this light was from a
   [4]supernova, or exploding star, and record the expanding debris cloud
   as the [5]Veil Nebula, a [6]supernova remnant. This sharp telescopic
   view is centered on a [7]western segment of the Veil Nebula cataloged
   as [8]NGC 6960 but less formally known as the Witch's Broom Nebula.
   Blasted out in the cataclysmic explosion, an [9]interstellar shock wave
   plows through space sweeping up and exciting interstellar material.
   Imaged with narrow band filters, the [10]glowing filaments are like
   long ripples in a sheet seen almost edge on, remarkably well separated
   into atomic hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue-green) gas. The complete
   supernova remnant lies about 1400 [11]light-years away towards the
   [12]constellation Cygnus. This Witch's [13]Broom actually spans about
   35 light-years. The bright star in the frame is [14]52 Cygni, visible
   with the unaided eye from a dark location but unrelated to the ancient
   supernova remnant.

                    Tomorrow's picture: the shadowy realm
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([29]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [30]Specific rights apply.
            [31]NASA Web Privacy, [32]Accessibility, [33]Notices;
                A service of: [34]ASD at [35]NASA / [36]GSFC,
                         [37]NASA Science Activation
                           & [38]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2510/WitchBroom_Meyers_6043.jpg
   3. mailto: drprs8181 at gmail dot com
   4. http://chandra.harvard.edu/xray_sources/supernovas.html
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250602.html
   6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_supernova_remnants
   7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cygnus_Loop_Labeled.png
   8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_General_Catalog
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/10-things-going-interstellar/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170919.html
  11. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101119.html
  13. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D3tZOUeTeRU/maxresdefault.jpg
  14. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/52cyg.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250930.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=251001
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251002.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  34. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  37. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  38. http://www.mtu.edu/