The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured 3 magnificent sections of the Veil Nebula - the shattered remains of a supernova that exploded some 5-10 thousands years ago.
A supernova releases so much light that it can outshine a whole galaxy of stars put together. The exploding star sweeps out a huge bubble in its surroundings, fringed with actual stellar debris along with material swept up by the blast wave. This glowing, brightly-coloured shell of gas forms a nebula that astronomers call a ‘supernova remnant’. Such a remnant can remain visible long after the initial explosion fades away. [ESA]