Crab Nebula 16x20 (12x18) Poster

Recommended size to fit a standard frame: 16x20 inches (original size: 12x18 inches at 300 PPI, 19 MP). Many other sizes available. Click 'Customize it!' on the right. This is the mess that is left when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD, is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion. The above image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, is presented in three colours chosen for scientific interest. The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light-years. In the nebula's very centre lies a pulsar: a neutron star as massive as the Sun but with only the size of a small town. The Crab Pulsar rotates about 30 times each second. Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester, A. Loll (ASU); Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin (Skyfactory)