This image is a 2x1 mosaic of a section of the Vela Supernova Remnant (SNR), a massive and expansive nebula located in the southern constellation Vela, about 800 light-years away from Earth.
The Vela SNR is the result of a supernova explosion that occurred about 11,000 to 12,000 years ago, making it one of the closest and most studied supernova remnants.
It spans over 8 degrees in the sky, equivalent to approximately 70 light-years in diameter, and contains numerous filaments, shock waves, and other structures that are a result of the explosion's aftermath.
The Vela SNR also emits high-energy radiation, making it a strong source of X-rays and gamma rays. The fascinating study of the Vela SNR provides valuable insight into the life cycle of stars and the formation of new cosmic structures.
About the Deep Space Collection:
Shot entirely with my rooftop telescope from the urban skies of Buenos Aires, the Deep Space Collection features many objects observable only from the southern hemisphere.
All images in the collection were shot using individual narrowband filters which cut off most of the light and allow only very specific wavelengths to pass (the light emitted from ionized hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur), making it possible to photograph deep space objects even from the highly light polluted skies of the city.
The images from each separate filter are then processed individually, combined and mapped to RGB channels for a final color image.
Two different color mapping palettes were used in this collection: SHO, where sulfur is mapped to red, hydrogen to green and oxygen to blue in what is referred to as "Hubble Palette" processing (as used in the images the famous space telescope) and HOO, where hydrogen is mapped to red, and oxygen to blue and green.
