A mosaic taken with the 268-million-pixel OmegaCAM on the VLT Survey Telescope at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory captures the complex aftermath of a titanic Type II supernova blast that destroyed a once massive star some 11,000 years ago. Known as the Vela supernova remnant, the explosion blew off the star’s outer layers, producing the intricate tapestry of filaments seen here in this 544-million-pixel mosaic. The core of the doomed star collapsed to form a compact spinning pulsar, the brightest known at radio wavelengths and the third brightest in optical emissions.
An OmegaCAM closeup showing a small section of the Vela supernova remnant:
