NEBULAE · 2017-12-08
Observatories Combine to Crack Open the Crab Nebula
Five observatories assemble the Crab Nebula across nearly the full electromagnetic spectrum.
What to observe
- Read the image as five overlapping physical stories, not one exposure.
- Locate the central region and follow how its surrounding structure changes by color.
Explanation
The composite combines radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray observations from the VLA, Spitzer, Hubble, XMM-Newton and Chandra.
Color method
The source maps radio to red, infrared to yellow, visible light to green, ultraviolet to blue and X-rays to purple.
Why it matters
The final image demonstrates why astronomical color is often a compact coordinate system for wavelength and physical process.
Sources and credits
Asset credit: NASA Goddard / GSFC