WONDERFUL WORLD Acrylic on Canvas 12 x 12 x 1.5 in (30.5 x 30.5 x 1.8 cm) $500.00

The fragmented part of the Veil Nebula captured in the Cygnus Loop is a perfect testament to the delicacy and beauty of this world and beyond. The vivid colors, pinpoint variations, and streaks of paint mixed with delicate clouds of dust are what make this painting so moving. This image represents a small portion of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant, captured with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera aboard NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on April 24, 1991. The Cygnus Loop marks the edge of a bubble-like, expanding blast wave from a colossal stellar explosion that occurred approximately 15,000 years ago—now immortalized on the canvas.

Image from NASA Hubble Space Telescope

Cygnus is one of the constellations cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. The name means “the swan” in Latin. There are a number of mythological origins for this constellation. In one version, the swan is the musician Orpheus, who was killed by Achilles at the battle of troy. Upon his death, he was placed among the stars with his harp, Lyra. In another version, the swan was the pet of the Queen, Cassiopeia. In still another version, the god Zeus transformed himself into a swan to seduce the Spartan Queen Leda. She gave birth to the twins Castor and Pollux who are represented by the constellation Gemini.

The constellation Orion, the great hunter, is visible from October through March in both hemispheres. It can be seen at latitudes between 85 degrees and -75 degrees.It is without a doubt one of the brightest and most beautiful constellations in the winter sky. Its bright stars form an hourglass shape that can be seen even in urban areas with moderate amounts of light pollution. It contains an asterism of three stars in a straight line known as Orion’s Belt. This is one of the most recognizable groupings of stars in the night sky.

Galatic Location: Cygnus Constellation

Celestial Phenomenon: Cygnus Loop

Collection: 88 Constellations