The Crab Nebula is one of the most studied
objects in the night sky. First observed by
Chinese astronomers in 1054 A.D., and possibly
others, this supernova remnant and its neutron
star have become favorite targets for amateur
and professional astronomers alike. This version
of the Crab Nebula combines data from three
different telescopes. X-ray data from Chandra,
in light blue, show the super-dense neutron
star that is the core of the exploded star,
which is shooting a blizzard of high-energy
particles into the expanding debris field.
This super-energetic outflow is striking the
cooler gas and dust seen in optical data from
Hubble as well as infrared light from Spitzer.
The Crab Nebula contains incredibly intriguing
science, and provides perhaps one of the most
stunning images in all of astronomy.
