Sh2-224 is a very faint supernova remnant located approximately 14,700 lightyears distant in the constellation Auriga.  This unusual celestial object is also designated VRO 42.05.01 and has been the object of considerable research using both ground based and space based telescopes including the ROSAT and the Dominion Radio Astronomy Observatory.  The nebula created by the supernova explosion is composed of two visual parts.  It is postulated the supernova explosion created a bubble like structure.  (Visible in the upper left of the image.)  As the shockwave from the explosion progressed into a very low density region of the interstellar medium, a "wing" component was expelled.  (Visible in the lower right of the image.)

Supernova explosions are the end stage of the natural life cycle of very large stars.  Such events are responsible for the distribution of heavy elements into the interstellar medium where they are incorporated in the birth of new star systems.  Without this phenomenon, planets, such as the Earth along with life as we know it, would not be possible.

The image above was assembled from two narrowband filtered images.  These consisted of Ha mapped to red and OIII mapped to blue.  The green channel was composed of a combination of Ha and OIII data. This bi-color image approximates the true colors of the nebula.

A narrowband (Hubble Palette) version of the image may be viewed here.

¹https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/rosat/gallery/snr_vro.html