Astronomy Picture of the Day

M1: The Crab Nebula from NOT


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#79931 by @ 21.09.2005 00:00 - nach oben -
M1: The Crab Nebula from NOT


Explanation:
This is the mess that is left when a star explodes.

The Crab Nebula, the result of a
supernova seen in
1054 AD,
is filled with mysterious filaments.

The filaments are not only
tremendously complex, but appear to have
less mass than expelled
in the original supernova and a
higher speed than expected
from a free explosion.

The above image, taken by the
Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT),
is in three colors chosen for scientific interest.

The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light-years.

In the nebula's very center lies a
pulsar: a
neutron star as massive as the
Sun
but with only the size of a
small town.

The Crab Pulsar
rotates about 30 times each second.




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