Crab Nebula WFPC2 Sequences

The Crab Nebula From the Ground (left) and Its Interior With Pulsar

A new sequence of Hubble Space Telescope images of the remnant of a tremendous stellar explosion is giving astronomers a remarkable look at the dynamic relationship between the tiny Crab Pulsar and the vast nebula that it powers. The colorful photo on the left shows a...

Changes in the Crab Pulsar

Scientists are learning more about how pulsars work by studying a series of Hubble Space Telescope images of the heart of the Crab Nebula. The images, taken over a period of several months, show that the Crab is a far more dynamic object than previously understood. At the center...

Illustration of the Crab Nebula Environment

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...