The high energy crab
Monday, October 31, 2011 - 09:30
in Astronomy & Space
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Crab Nebula is the remnant of a supernova. Its precursor star exploded in 1054 AD in an event that was recorded by Chinese and (quite probably) Anasazi Indian astronomers. It is called the Crab Nebula because it has many tentacle-like gas filaments extending outward nearly radially. At the center of the explosion is a pulsar, the spinning, super-dense stellar ash often left behind after a supernova explosion. Supernovae play a critical role in the cosmic ecosystem, because they seed space with the elements needed for life, including carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. All of these elements are made in the precursor stars as a byproduct of nuclear burning; none were present in the early days of the universe.