The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra Observatory unveil the secrets of the Crab Nebula, a spectacular remnant of a historic supernova.
The Crab Nebula, observed by the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Credit: X-ray, Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared, Webb: NASA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major
At 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, the Crab Nebula has illuminated the night sky since its supernova explosion in 1054. This celestial phenomenon was observed by astronomers worldwide, and its remnants continue to fascinate. New images combining data from JWST and Chandra offer an unprecedented view of this complex nebula.
The Crab Nebula hosts a dense neutron star, born from the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star. This pulsar, spinning at an incredible speed of 30 rotations per second, emits a beam of radiation similar to a lighthouse. Observations from Chandra reveal a shock wave caused by the intense energy emitted by this star.
The shock wave travels through the nebula, measuring 11 light-years in diameter, carrying a complex mixture of particles of matter and antimatter. This internal dynamic is visible as a bright ring and jets of particles emitting X-rays, captured by Chandra's instruments.
The exploration doesn't stop here: researchers plan to continue monitoring the pulsar to uncover more secrets of this iconic nebula.