Vela Supernova Remnant in Visible Light . ... About eleven thousand years ago a star in the constellation of Vela could be seen to explode , creating a strange point of light briefly visible to humans living near the beginning of recorded history . The outer layers of the star crashed into the interstellar medium , driving a shock wave that is still visible today. A roughly spherical, expanding shock wave is visible in X-rays . ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ...