East Veil Nebula
NGC 6992
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
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About East Veil Nebula
Description
The Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992/6995) is part of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in Cygnus, about 2,400 light-years away. This filamentary arc marks the eastern edge of the expanding shell from a supernova that exploded roughly 20,000 years ago.
Observing Tips
An OIII filter transforms this from invisible to spectacular. With the filter and an 8-inch scope, the delicate filaments are breathtaking. Even a 4-inch scope shows the bright knotted arc near 52 Cygni (that's C34). Best in summer and early autumn.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on September 5, 1784. The entire Veil Nebula complex (also called the Cygnus Loop) is one of the finest supernova remnants visible from Earth.
Fun Facts
The original supernova that created the Veil was likely a star 20 times more massive than the Sun. The expanding shell is still moving at about 170 km/s and will continue to fade over the next 100,000 years.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Ken Crawford. License: CC BY-SA 3.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026