The Eastern Veil Supernova Remnant (NGC 6992)
A collaboration between Cord Scholz and Steve Cannistra
Characteristics:
Magnitude: Roughly magnitude 5.0
Size: about 80'
Distance: 1470 light years
RA: 20h 56m 34s
Dec: 31 degrees 43' 54"
Description:
The Eastern Veil (NGC 6992) is a supernova remnant that is part of a
larger
complex that includes the Western Veil (NGC 6960). It is
estimated that the supernova explosion occured
about 10,000 years ago, before the age
of recorded history. The star that gave rise to this supernova
remnant
is no longer visible, but it must have been massive.
During a star's life, nuclear
fusion
produces elements such as oxygen, silicon, carbon, and iron.
These
elements are expelled into space during supernova explosions, later to
become
part of other stars, planets, and lifeforms like ourselves. The
Eastern Veil is the brightest component of the Veil Complex and
contains several subdivisions.
Although relatively faint, the Veil Complex is a stunning view at dark
sites using large aperture scopes, especially
with
the use of an OIII filter. Please
click here
for a widefield view of this region.
Photographic Details for Ha image:
Date: June 8, 2005
Scope: Takahashi
FS-102 at f6 with TOA-130 focal reducer, on the G11 Losmandy
Mount.
Autoguider: SBIG STV with
e-finder.
Camera: Maxcam CM10 (Finger Lakes Instruments).
Filters: Astrodon 6nm
bandpass Ha filter.
Exposures:
12 x 10' each Ha. Total
Ha exposure duration 2 hours. Color data
from Cord Scholz are comprised of RGB at 30:30:45 minutes, respectively.
Conditions: Temperature 80 degrees F dropping to 65
degrees at end of session (I needed to refocus every 30 minutes); below
average
transparency; humid; poor seeing; intermittent breeze. Imaging
performed at -20 degrees C throughout.
Post-processing: Calibrated
subs were debloomed with Ron Wodaski's Debloomer software, and then
aligned in Registar. Sigma combined using RC Sigma Reject
MaximDL, followed by DDP
in ImagesPlus (IP). Subsequent
levels and curves adjustments in Photoshop CS (16 bit format). I
combined my Ha image as a luminance channel with the color data
(aligned with Registar) using
routine techniques in PS. I'm impressed with the richness of
Cord's color data, and with the small stars in my luminance data
(through the use of the AstroDon 6nm bandpass Ha filter). A sharp
eye will notice that the lower right hand corner of the image lacks
color, since this region was not covered by the RGB data.
Please
note: Graphics on this website
may not be reproduced without author permission.
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