The Gum Nebula

Named for Australian astronomer Colin Stanley Gum (1924-1960), The Gum Nebula is so large and close it is actually hard to see. In fact, we are only about 450 light-years from the front edge and 1,500 light-years from the back edge of this cosmic cloud of glowing hydrogen gas.

Covered in this 41 degree-wide mosaic of H-alpha images, the faint emission region is otherwise easy to lose against the background of Milky Way stars. The complex nebula is thought to be a supernova remnant over a million years old, sprawling across the southern constellations Vela and Puppis.

Image & info via APODhttp://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090822.html
Credit & Copyright: Axel Mellinger

Reference:http://www.southernskyphoto.com/southern_sky/gum_nebula.htm