The Crab Nebula: A Cosmic Icon

Chandra_440_1024

chandra_440 November 23rd, 2009

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/F.Seward; Optical: NASA/ESA/ASU/J.Hester & A.Loll; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. Minn./R.Gehrz

The Crab Nebula is an iconic object in space that has been studied intensely by both telescopes on the ground and those in space. This image of the Crab combines data from three of NASA's Great Observatories. X-rays from Chandra (blue) have been combined with optical images from Hubble (red and yellow) as well as infrared data from Spitzer (purple). Together, these three telescopes provide a striking view of this famous cosmic source.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/crab/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Crab Nebula
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Neutron Star > Pulsar

Distance

Universescale1
6,000 light years
Chandra_440_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 5h 34m 31.7s
DEC = 22° 0’ 53.3”
Orientation
North is 0.2° CCW
Field of View
9.2 x 8.8 arcminutes
Constellation
Taurus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray 826.7 pm
Red Hubble (WFPC2) Optical (H-alpha) 656.0 nm
Yelow Hubble (WFPC2) Optical (OIII) 500.0 nm
Purple Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Spectrum_xray1
Blue
Red
Yelow
Purple
Chandra_440_1280
×
ID
440
Subject Category
B.4.1.4   B.3.1.9.1  
Subject Name
Crab Nebula
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/F.Seward; Optical: NASA/ESA/ASU/J.Hester & A.Loll; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. Minn./R.Gehrz
Release Date
2009-11-23
Lightyears
6,000.0
Redshift
6,000.0
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/crab/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Hubble, Hubble, Spitzer
Instrument
ACIS, WFPC2, WFPC2, MIPS
Color Assignment
Blue, Red, Yelow, Purple
Band
X-ray, Optical, Optical, Infrared
Bandpass
-, H-alpha, OIII, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 656, 500, 2.4e4
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
83.632075312, 22.014818737
Reference Dimension
2780, 2648
Reference Pixel
1374, 1188
Scale
-5.52019443E-05, 5.52019443E-05
Rotation
0.2
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
crab.tif
Metadata Date
2013-09-20T10:07:18-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
6,000 light years

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