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Combined X-Ray and Optical Images of the Crab Nebula

Combined X-Ray and Optical Images of the Crab Nebula
A composite image of the Crab Nebula showing the X-ray (blue), and optical (red) images superimposed. The size of the X-ray image is smaller because the higher energy X-ray emitting electrons radiate away their energy more quickly than the lower energy optically emitting electrons as they move.

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    05h 34m 31.96s
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    22° 0' 52.09"
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Taurus
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    About 6,000 light-years (1,850 parsecs)
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    The image is 2.24 arcminutes across

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
    Principal Astronomers: J. Hester and P. Scowen (ASU), C. Michel (Rice U.), J. Graham (UC Berkeley), J. Gallagher (U. of Wisconsin-Madison), A. Watson (UNAM - Morelia), R. Sankrit (JHU) J. Hester (ASU), K. Mori (Penn State U. and Osaka U.), D. Burrows (Penn State Univ.), J. Gallagher (U. of Wisconsin-Madison), J. Graham (UC Berkeley), M. Halverson (U. of Wisconsin-Madison), A. Kader (ASU), F. C. Michel (Rice Univ.) and, P. Scowen (ASU)
  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    HST>WFPC2 and CXO>ACIS
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    April 6, 2001, Exposure Time: 40 minutes (WFPC2), and April 6, 2001, Exposure Time: 6.5 hours (ACIS)
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    WFPC2 F547M and ACIS-S
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Crab Nebula, M1, NGC 1952
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Supernova Remnant
  • Release Date
    September 19, 2002
  • Science Release
    Space Movie Reveals Shocking Secrets of the Crab Pulsar
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Credits for X-ray Image: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Credits for Optical Image: NASA/HST/ASU/J. Hester et al.

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Combined X-Ray and Optical Images of the Crab Nebula
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

Blue (X-ray): ACIS-S Red (Optical): WFPC2 F547M

Related Images & Videos

6 Panel of Chandra and Hubble, Full Field

6 Panel of Chandra and Hubble, Full Field

This comparison between the Chandra (left) and Hubble (right) images of the Crab Nebula shows 3 sets of full field views.

6 Panel of Chandra and Hubble, Close Up

6 Panel of Chandra and Hubble, Close Up

This close up view of the Chandra (left) and Hubble (right) images shows the motion of the wisps in 3 sets of the Crab Nebula joint observations.

Time-lapse Sequence of Crab Pulsar Wind

Time-Lapse Sequence of Crab Pulsar Wind

This movie shows dynamic rings, wisps and jets of matter and antimatter around the pulsar in the Crab Nebula as observed in X-ray light by Chandra (left, blue) and optical light by Hubble (right, red).

Time-lapse Sequence of the Crab Nebula

Time-Lapse Sequence of the Crab Nebula

The movie shows dynamic rings, wisps and jets of matter and antimatter around the pulsar in the Crab Nebula as observed in optical light by Hubble.

Space Science Update: Movie Reveals Shocking Secrets of the Crab Pulsar

Space Science Update: Movie Reveals Shocking Secrets of the Crab Pulsar

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Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

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

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