group of bright nebulae (Lacework Nebula, Veil Nebula, and the nebulae NGC 6960, 6979, 6992, and 6995) in the constellation Cygnus, thought to be remnants of a supernova—i.e., of the explosion of a star probably 50,000 years ago. The Loop, a strong source of radio waves and X rays, is still expanding at about 100 kilometres (60 miles) per second. It lies several thousand light-years from the Earth.