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> The Crab nebula (M1), wide field

The Crab nebula (M1), wide field

author: ESA/D.De Martin/Novapix

reference: a-snv11-00506

Image Size 300 DPI: 83 * 83 cm

The north is at top. In the year 1054 AD a star in the constellation of Taurus exploded in a spectacular supernova so bright it appeared to dominate the sky except for the Sun and Moon for many days even in daylight. What we see now is the supernova remnant: a brilliant nebula, the first in the famous list compiled by Charles Messier. The nebula houses a spinning neutron star called a pulsar. The brilliant blue star is the 3rd magnitude Zeta Tauri. This image is based on data acquired by the Oschin Telescope at the Mount Palomar Observatory.

Keywords for this photo:

ASTRONOMY - CRAB - DSS - EVOLUTION - M1 - MOUNT PALOMAR - NEUTRON STAR - NGC 1952 - PALOMAR - POSTER - PULSAR - STAR - SUPERNOVA - SUPERNOVA REMNANT - TAURUS - VARIABLE STAR - ZETA TAURI -