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Animation Depicting the Environment Around the Pulsar

The sequence depicts the environment immediately around the central, rotating pulsar. The twin beams demonstrate the rotation of the neutron star which is surrounded by the equitorial wind (shaded red). As the observer pulls away from the pulsar, first the "inner knot" appears from the upper left, then followed by the "sprite", and finally, the jets which appear on opposing sides of the pulsar.
  • Release Date
    May 30, 1996
  • Science Release
    Hubble Astronomers Unveil “Crab Nebula – The Movie”
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Walt Feimer (STScI)

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  • 352 × 240, 30 FPS
    mp4 (1.34 MB)

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Illustration of the Crab Nebula Environment

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Crab Nebula WFPC2 Sequences

The movie is constructed from eight WFPC2 images and contains four sequences: 1) The full WFPC2 field, 2) a closer view of the pulsar, 3) closer still detailing the "sprite" which appears towards the top, and 4) extreme closeup of the pulsar and the inner knot just above it.

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Last Updated
Mar 14, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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