Space photo of the week: James Webb Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory team up to image the Crab Nebula

This new composite image combines data from both the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory to reveal more about the dense neutron star

The Crab Nebula (also called M1) is a supernova remnant located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. It is one of the brightest supernova remnants in the night sky and is easily visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

The Crab Nebula was created by the supernova SN 1054, which was observed by astronomers in China and Korea in A.D. 1054. The supernova was so bright that it was visible during the day for several weeks. It is also thought to have been depicted on a rare Byzantine coin as well as by Puebloan people in a "supernova pictograph" at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

The supernova left behind a dense neutron star, which is surrounded by a nebula of gas. The neutron star is rotating around 30 times per second and is sending out a beam of radiation on every rotation, a bit like a lighthouse. This radiation is what creates the Crab Nebula's characteristic pulsar wind nebula.

The Crab Nebula has been extensively studied by astronomers over the years. In 2024, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) imaged the Crab Nebula in infrared light, revealing new details about the dense neutron star at the center of the nebula. The image also showed the supernova remnant's interaction with the surrounding interstellar medium.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has also observed the Crab Nebula, capturing repeated observations of the radiation emitted by the neutron star. These observations have shown that the neutron star's energy is producing a shockwave, which is moving through the nebula. The shockwave is visible in the Chandra image as a ring around the neutron star. Jets of X-ray-emitting particles coming from the pulsar's poles are also visible in the image.

Chandra's data has also been used to create a time-lapse movie of the Crab Nebula's ring and X-ray jets. The movie, which spans 22 years, shows the X-ray jet's whip-like movement. Astronomers are continuing to collect data on the pulsar and hope to uncover further changes in the coming years.