The Veil Nebula Unveiled . ... Many thousands of years ago that star exploded in a supernova leaving the Veil Nebula , pictured above . At the time, the expanding cloud was likely as bright as a crescent Moon toward the constellation of Cygnus , visible for weeks to people living at the dawn of recorded history . ... The bright wisp at the top is known as the Witch's Broom Nebula and can be seen with a small telescope. The Veil Nebula is also known as the Cygnus Loop . ...