The Crab Nebula from VLT
Explanation:
The
Crab Nebula, filled with mysterious filaments, is the result of a
star that was seen to explode in 1054 AD.
This spectacular
supernova
explosion was recorded by
Chinese and (quite probably)
Anasazi Indian astronomers.
The filaments are mysterious because they appear
to have
less mass than expelled in the original supernova
and
higher speed than expected from a free explosion.
In the
above picture taken recently from a
Very Large Telescope,
the color indicates what is happening to the electrons in different
parts of the
Crab Nebula.
Red indicates the
electrons are recombining with protons to form neutral hydrogen,
while blue indicates the
electrons are whirling around the magnetic field
of the
inner nebula.
In the
nebula's very center lies a
pulsar: a
neutron star rotating, in this case, 30 times a second.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
