SNR G119.5+10.2 also known as CTA 1 is a faint and sprawling supernova remnant in Cepheus created by a massive star that exploded roughly 10 to 14 thousand years ago. Its interior hosts a weak pulsar whose energetic output continues to drive gas outward shaping the subtle filaments that arc across the field. Although the remnant was suspected to contain a pulsar when it was first identified in 1960 no signal was found until 2008 when sensitive observations finally revealed the faint emission. The surrounding structures show the diffuse glow of ancient shocked material slowly expanding into the interstellar medium.

Near the lower portion of the frame sits NGC 40 a compact planetary nebula often imaged on its own but rarely placed in context with the much larger and fainter CTA 1. In this deep 40 hour integration captured in HSO filters with an F2.2 RASA astrograph and an ASI6200MM camera from Pendleton Oregon the planetary appears as a bright knot against the sweeping remnants of the supernova. The combination highlights two very different stages of stellar evolution one from a dying low mass star and the other from the violent end of a massive one all sharing the same rich region of Cepheus.