Chandra Release - September 28, 1999

Visual Description: Crab Nebula

 The X-ray image of the supernova remnant and pulsar Crab Nebula showcases a bright purple and white irregular bell-shaped object against a solid black background.  The texture of the object appears to be somewhat grainy or speckled, giving it a slightly mottled appearance.  There is a tiny bright white source at the center with a slight spiral disk-like appearance around it, and a jet and some protrusions.  Chandra's X-ray image of the Crab Nebula directly traces the most energetic particles being produced by the pulsar. This amazing image reveals an unprecedented level of detail about the highly energetic particle winds and will allow scientists to probe deep into the dynamics of this cosmic powerhouse.