Crab Nebula, Messier 1

Crab Nebula,Messier 1, The Crab Nebula is the remnant of the of a star 6-10x the size of the Sun and is the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD.  The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light years and is about 6 arc seconds in size in the sky or about 1/5 of the size of the full moon. It is 6500 light years distant.  In the nebula’s center lies a neutron star: a star as massive as the Sun but is only 30 kilometers in size. Supernovae from large dying stars 6-10X the size of the Sun either result in a neutron star or a black hole. The above picture in this description shows the detailed Hubble image of Messier 1 over-layed on the featured  image and identifies the neutron star called a Pulsar. It can be seen in the featured image by enlarging to a full page view.  The neutron star rotates about 30 times each second with extreme precision similiar to an atomic clock and emits a beam of energy along its poles ranging from radio frequencies to gamma rays. At X-ray wavelengths (above 1 keV), it is one of the brightest, continuously emitting sources in the sky. At optical wavelengths it is quite dim but is 1000X brighter than any other known neutron star in the sky and as such is visible in this image. Such a neutron star is referred to as a Pulsar. The beam is the result of the rotational energy of the neutron star, which generates an electrical field from the movement of its very strong magnetic field, resulting in the acceleration of protons and electrons on the star surface and the creation of an electromagnetic beam emanating from the poles of the magnetic field. It is described as a “lighthouse” emitting a regular pulsating beam of light. In addition to the neutron star the nebula contains remnant gas and dust from the star explosion.   The image was taken using a 20″ Planewave telescope with atomic filters that capture light from Hydrogen, Sulfur and Oxygen gas that are re-emitting light after being excited to a higher energy state by the uv light from nearby stars. The red light is from Hydrogen gas, green from Sulfur and blue from Oxygen. To achieve the resolution in the image necessary to see the neutron star, de-convolution in MaximDl was done along with use of the Wiener filter in Pixinsight. The 37 hours of imaging was also necessary to achieve the low noise level required to use these tools effectively.