The faint traces of the Veil Nebula in Cygnus are just
visible in this image. The veil nebula is what remains from
a massive supernova some 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. When a
star uses up all of its hydrogen, it begins synthesizing other
elements through nuclear fusion. Eventually, the energy produced
cannot counteract the growing weight of the star's outer layers,
the star collapses, and the core explodes in one of the most energetic
and violent events in the universe. This is a good thing, though, because
in this way all the elements heavier than hydrogen are seeded into
space, and the material of the star gets recycled into new stars, planets,
and even people. The Veil Nebula is wider in the sky than 6 full moons,
but too dim to see without a telescope. The open cluster of stars near the
bottom of this image is NGC 6940.

Image data:
Camera: Olympus OM-1, 200mm f/4 lens
Film: Fuji Provia 400F
Exposure: 18 minutes