M1 - Crab Nebula

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M1 - Crab Nebula

Discovered in 1731 by British amateur astronomer John Bevi. The Crab Nebula is the most famous supernova remnant.  It was noted by Chinese Astronomers in the year 1054 A.D. and was four times as bright as Venus.  According to their records it was visible for 26 days during the daytime hours and for 653 days it could be seen by the naked eye at night.  It was probably also recorded by Anasazi Indian Artists in present day New Mexico and Arizona.  The nebula consists of the material ejected in the supernova explosion, which has been spread over a volume approximately 10 light years in diameter, and is still expanding at the very high velocity of about 1,800 km/sec.  The Nebula is a web of chaotic threads that weave in and out of the central gaseous structure.  One of the two stars situated together in the center is a pulsating neutron star.  It rotates 30times per second!  This neutron star is extremely dense.  It has the mass of our solar system in the space of about 30 kilometers across.  This is denser than an atomic nucleus.  This source of energy is 100,000 times more energetic than our Sun and causes the Nebula to light  up.

Date:  11-20-03

Telescope: RC14.5 (.75x)        Camera:ST8XE   AO guided  

Exposure Time: LRGB 100min ;35min;35min;35min; 2x2bin

Processing: Maxim,reduced, DDP, Adobe combined