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Witch's Broom (West Veil) (NGC 6960)
supernova remnant in Cygnus
The Witch's Broom is the western arm of the Veil Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded in Cygnus roughly 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. It is a long, thin filament of glowing gas that passes close to the naked-eye star 52 Cygni.
Save your telescope or lens on the planner to lay your camera frame over this diagram.
// Key facts
- Catalog
- NGC 6960
- Type
- supernova remnant
- Constellation
- Cygnus
- Size
- 1.2° across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7
- Distance
- about 2,100 to 2,400 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Aug
- Typical prime months
- May to Oct
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- OIII + Ha narrowband, or a UHC filter
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How to image Witch's Broom (West Veil)
- An OIII or dual-band filter makes the thin filaments stand out.
- At 70 arcminutes, 250 to 500 mm frames the broom, and the bright star 52 Cygni adds glare, so deal with halos.
- Combine with the Eastern Veil (NGC 6992) in a mosaic to see the whole loop.
Framing: what focal length?
The focal length at which NGC 6960 spans about 60% of the long side of the sensor, leaving room around it. Treat it as a starting point; the right framing is a matter of taste.
| Sensor | Focal length |
|---|---|
| 1-inch sensor (13.2 mm) | about 390 mm |
| APS-C (23.5 mm) | about 690 mm |
| Full frame (36 mm) | about 1060 mm |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point NGC 6960 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 66° | High in the sky |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 76° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 86° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 84° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 24° | Stays low |
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