Picture from September 10, 2010
This picture is of remnants of a supernova in the northwestern edge of the constellation of Vela. The supernova was the result of the death of a large star around 11,800 years ago. The remnants are about 800 light years away, so we are actually viewing the region as it was 800 years ago. Although it might be a beautiful sight, actually going near the area might be dangerous. The star left behind a pulsar, a stellar core that spins very rapidly and emits large amounts of radiation. It is fortunate that we can observe the majesty of these remnants from a safe distance.
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