This image depicts the Crab Nebula, resembling a massive mosaic crafted from observations by the Hubble Space Telescope. It provides the most accurate representation of the remnants of cosmic material following the explosion of a supernova (a massive star).
The explosion of this supernova was observed a millennium ago, in 1054, by astronomers from Japan and China. Located in the constellation Taurus, this nebula also attracted the attention of several indigenous peoples in the Americas.
This phenomenon shines four times brighter than the observation of Venus, making it visible during the day for 23 days and at night for over 650 days. The nebula was later discovered by British astronomer John Bevis in 1731.
The Crab Nebula has a diameter of approximately 6 light-years and continues to expand at a speed of about 10,000 kilometers per second.
The center of the nebula houses a pulsar, which is a neutron star rotating rapidly around it. This extremely dense type of star is typically the result of a supernova explosion. The neutron star at the core of the nebula acts like a generator, contributing to its high brightness.
The pale yellow and green structures are remnants of the star containing hydrogen. The light blue colors are produced by electrons emitted at speeds comparable to light along the lines of the magnetic field.
