The Veil Nebula is the glowing shock wave caused by the remnants of a supernova that exploded 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. It is so large on the sky, covering about 6 full-moon diameters, that various parts of it are separately cataloged as NGC 6960, NGC 6979, NGC 6975, NGC 6992, NGC 6995, and IC1340.

This black-and-white image shows the entire Veil, including faint outer regions, in the narrowband light emitted by hydrogen gas. Shown below are three color and three narrowband images of portions of the veil followed by an older color-film-based image showing most of the veil.

Compare the Veil to other supernova remnants, the Crab and the Jellyfish Nebulae.

On May 19, 2023 a new supernova was observed in galaxy M101.

176 minutes through an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter on 2012-09-24 using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through a Canon 70-200mm lens at 200mm & f5.0. North is to the upper left. ©2012

The western portion of the Veil, cataloged as NGC 6960.

120 minutes L and 120 minutes RGB on 2015-09-18 plus 240 minutes H-a using an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter on 2011-11-04 (blended with L and R), all using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is to the left. ©2015

The north-central portion of the Veil, known as Pickering's Triangle, cataloged as Simeis 3-188.

120 minutes L and 120 minutes RGB on 2017-10-18 plus 256 minutes H-a using an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter on 2011-11-06 (blended with L and R), all using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is to the left. ©2017

The eastern portion of the Veil, cataloged as NGC 6992, NGC 6995, and IC 1340.

120 minutes L and 120 minutes RGB on 2015-09-17 plus 256 minutes H-a using an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter on 2011-11-05 (blended with L and R), all using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is to the left. ©2015

The western portion of the Veil in hydrogen-alpha light.

Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. 240 minutes through an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter using a QSI 583 on 2011-11-04 from northern New Jersey. North is to the left. ©2011

The north-central portion of the Veil, known as Pickering's Triangle, in hydrogen-alpha light.

256 minutes through an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter using a QSI 583 on 2011-11-06 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is to the left. ©2011

The eastern portion of the Veil in hydrogen-alpha light.

256 minutes through an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter using a QSI 583 on 2011-11-05 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is to the left. ©2011

A wide view showing most of the Veil Nebula with color from an older, film-based photo.

L partially from 176 minutes through an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter on 2012-09-24 using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through a Canon 70-200mm lens at 200mm & f5.0. RGB from three 25-minute exposures on gas-hypersensitized Kodak Supra 400 PPF color-negative film through an Astro-Physics 105mm (4.1 inch) refractor at f/4.5 from Speculator, New York, August 9, 2002. North is to the upper left. ©2013