High Definition Wallpapers

September 8th, 2014

M1, the Crab Nebula

We return to our Space theme today with this stunning image of the Crab Nebula, otherwise known as Messier 1. This is a bright supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus, 6500 light years from Earth. The supernova itself was observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD, and this provides us with a nearly unique […]

M1, the Crab Nebula

We return to our Space theme today with this stunning image of the Crab Nebula, otherwise known as Messier 1. This is a bright supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus, 6500 light years from Earth. The supernova itself was observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD, and this provides us with a nearly unique opportunity: we’ve been able to study a developing supernova remnant for almost a thousand years. The cloud itself is now 11 light-years in diameter and is expanding at the mind-numbing rate of 1500 kilometers per second, or 0.5% of light speed. At it’s heart lies a rapidly spinning pulsar, the last remains of the original star’s core, condensed down into an object only a few tens of kilometers across. This amazing image makes a perfect desktop background for any astronomer.

Don't forget to let us know what you think of this M1, the Crab Nebula HD wallpaper in the comments. For more M1, the Crab Nebula and other great HD wallpapers browse through our wallpaper categories!

Find More M1, the Crab Nebula HD Wallpapers