---
title: "Astronomy Picture of the Day: 9/16/13 – Cygnus Loop"
description: "    Following several hundreds of millions of years of sustaining nuclear fusion, massive stars exhaust their supply of the necessary fuel - signaling the beginning of the end of the life of a massive star.   What happens next is one of the most profoundly violent celestial events, capable of releasing more energy in..."
date: "2013-09-16"
modified: "2013-09-16"
authors:
  - name: "Jaime Trosper"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jaimefqtq.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-91613-cygnus-loop"
categories:
  - "From Quarks to Quasars"
---

# Astronomy Picture of the Day: 9/16/13 – Cygnus Loop

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/GPN-2000-000992.jpg>)

[![Credit: NASA, J.J. Hester Arizona State University](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/GPN-2000-000992.jpg>)](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/GPN-2000-000992.jpg>)

Following several hundreds of millions of years of sustaining nuclear fusion, massive stars exhaust their supply of the necessary fuel - signaling the beginning of the end of the life of a massive star.

What happens next is one of the most profoundly violent celestial events, capable of releasing more energy in a single second than sun-like stars can throughout their entire lifetime - called a supernova. Whilst destructive, these events can produce some [wildly spectacular nebulae](<https://futurism.com/ten-of-the-most-unusual-stellar-nebulae.md>).

This is an example of one, called the Cygnus Loop (also known as [the Veil Nebula](<http://fuse.pha.jhu.edu/wpb/sci_cyglpstar.html>)). The nebula formed after a shockwave propagated through the material ejected during the supernova - subsequently heating up the surrounding material - causing it to glow.

The nebula, which covers an expanse of space that is 6 times larger than the full moon, can be found approximately 2,500 light-years from Earth (the estimate varies) in the constellation of Cygnus. Astronomers believe the supernova ignited some [5 to 10,000 years ago.](<http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic0712/>) To put that in perspective; the light from the event first arrived on Earth whilst the last ice age was coming to an end.

## Author
Jaime is a freelance writer, who finds great joy in sharing the wonders of universe with others. She used this passion to launch "From Quarks to Quasars" in 2012.

## More

- [Astronomy Photo of the Day: 9/25/15 — The Veil Nebula Revisited](<https://futurism.com/apotd-veil-nebula.md>)
- [Astronomy Picture of the Day: 9/29/13 – The Peony Nebula](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-92913-the-peony-nebula-ready-for-posting-2.md>)
- [Astronomy  Picture of the Day: 11/30/13 – The Dolphin Nebula](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-112913-the-dolphin-nebula.md>)
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- [Astronomy Picture of the Day: 12/08/13 – The Tulip Nebula](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-120513-the-tulip-nebula.md>)
- [Astronomy Picture of the Day: 9/24/13 – IC 2169](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-92413-ic-2169-2.md>)
- [Astronomy Picture of the Day: 10/24/13 – The Fetus Nebula \[NGC 708\]](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-102413-the-fetus-nebula-ngc-708-2.md>)
- [Astronomy Picture of the Day: 9/2/13 – Gomez’s Hamburger](<https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-9213-gomezs-hamburger.md>)