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 […]
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.
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