NGC 2736 Herschel's Ray


45 minutes exposure, Fuji Provia 400 slide film.
5" f/5 refractor at prime focus.

Much of the constellation of Vela is covered with faint nebulosity from the huge Vela Supernove Remnent. Although this object is huge, only a few sections are easily visible to the eye. One of the easiest portions is the curious object, NGC 2736, commonly known as "Herschel's Ray". This is actually one of the brighter filaments of the supernova remnent, not unlike some of the filaments in the smaller, but more well known, Veil Nebula.