IRAS Image of the Cygnus Loop Supernova Remnant

The Loop (or Veil) Nebula in Cygnus is thought to be the remnant of a supernova outburst that occurred over 15,000 years ago. These IRAS images show the infrared emission from dust grains in the expanding shell of the remnant. The images have been color coded to display relatively warm infrared emission as blue, cooler emission as green, and the coldest emission as red. The blue dots are stars, and the diffuse emission to the right of the Loop is from interstellar dust grains heated by starlight.