1. Comparison of 3C58 and the Crab Nebula
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In this series of X-ray images, the strong similarities between the center of 3C58 and the Crab Nebula pulsar -- one of the most famous objects in astronomy -- are shown. The 3C58 pulsar, the Crab Nebula pulsar, and a growing list of other pulsars offer dramatic proof that strong electromagnetic fields around rapidly rotating neutron stars are powerful generators of both high-energy particles and magnetic fields.
[Runtime: 0:22]
(3C58: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.; Crab: NASA/CXC/ASU/J.Hester et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG
In this series of X-ray images, the strong similarities between the center of 3C58 and the Crab Nebula pulsar -- one of the most famous objects in astronomy -- are shown. The 3C58 pulsar, the Crab Nebula pulsar, and a growing list of other pulsars offer dramatic proof that strong electromagnetic fields around rapidly rotating neutron stars are powerful generators of both high-energy particles and magnetic fields.
[Runtime: 0:22]
(3C58: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.; Crab: NASA/CXC/ASU/J.Hester et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: 3C58
- Photo Album: Crab Nebula
2. 3C58: Layers of Chandra's 3-Color Image
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n this sequence, the individual layers that comprise the Chandra 3-color image of 3C58 are shown. The red layer represents the lower-energy X-rays, green shows the medium-energy range, and blue reveals the highest-energy X-rays observed by Chandra.
[Runtime: 0:20]
(NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
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n this sequence, the individual layers that comprise the Chandra 3-color image of 3C58 are shown. The red layer represents the lower-energy X-rays, green shows the medium-energy range, and blue reveals the highest-energy X-rays observed by Chandra.
[Runtime: 0:20]
(NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: 3C58
3. Multi-wavelength Look at 3C58
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This sequence compares Chandra's X-ray image of 3C58 with the views seen by optical and radio telescopes. The intricate X-ray loops in the Chandra image and the features in the radio images of 3C58 extend a dozen light years from the pulsar, likely representing the complex magnetic field structure there.
[Runtime: 0:32]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.; Optical: DSS; Radio: NCSU/S.Reynolds)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG
This sequence compares Chandra's X-ray image of 3C58 with the views seen by optical and radio telescopes. The intricate X-ray loops in the Chandra image and the features in the radio images of 3C58 extend a dozen light years from the pulsar, likely representing the complex magnetic field structure there.
[Runtime: 0:32]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.; Optical: DSS; Radio: NCSU/S.Reynolds)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: 3C58
4. Vela Pulsar Animation
QuicktimeMPEG Chandra's image of the Vela Pulsar shows a dramatic bow-like structure at the leading edge of the cloud, or nebula, embedded in the Vela supernova remnant. As indicated by the arrow, the jets point in the same direction as the motion of the pulsar. The swept-back appearance of the nebula is due to the motion of the pulsar through the supernova remnant. The last few frames of this animation show the region of space around the rapidly rotating neutron stars in the Crab Nebula (left) compared with Vela (right). The inner Crab ring is 1 light year in diameter; in Vela it is 0.1 light year.
[Runtime: 0:16]
(Animation: NASA/CXC/A.Hobart; Images: NASA/SAO/CXC)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG Chandra's image of the Vela Pulsar shows a dramatic bow-like structure at the leading edge of the cloud, or nebula, embedded in the Vela supernova remnant. As indicated by the arrow, the jets point in the same direction as the motion of the pulsar. The swept-back appearance of the nebula is due to the motion of the pulsar through the supernova remnant. The last few frames of this animation show the region of space around the rapidly rotating neutron stars in the Crab Nebula (left) compared with Vela (right). The inner Crab ring is 1 light year in diameter; in Vela it is 0.1 light year.
[Runtime: 0:16]
(Animation: NASA/CXC/A.Hobart; Images: NASA/SAO/CXC)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: Vela Pulsar (Wide-Field View)
5. Chandra X-ray Movie of Vela Pulsar Jet
QuicktimeMPEG his sequence starts with Chandra's wide-field of the region around the Vela Pulsar Jet. The view then zooms into the area covered by Chandra during a series of 13 observations taken over about two and a half years. This movie led astronomers to discover an outer jet shooting out ahead of the moving pulsar. The most striking feature of the jet is its variability, changing both its shape and brightness. Meanwhile, bright blobs are seen moving along the jet with surprising velocities -- at about half of the speed of light.
[Runtime: 1:16]
(Animation: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G.Pavlov et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG his sequence starts with Chandra's wide-field of the region around the Vela Pulsar Jet. The view then zooms into the area covered by Chandra during a series of 13 observations taken over about two and a half years. This movie led astronomers to discover an outer jet shooting out ahead of the moving pulsar. The most striking feature of the jet is its variability, changing both its shape and brightness. Meanwhile, bright blobs are seen moving along the jet with surprising velocities -- at about half of the speed of light.
[Runtime: 1:16]
(Animation: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G.Pavlov et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: Vela Pulsar Jet
6. Sequence of images of J0617 in IC 443
QuicktimeMPEG Beginning with a wide-field view of the supernova remnant IC 443, this sequence moves into a closer look at the neutron star embedded within known as J0617. The images show these objects in X-rays (blue), radio (green), and optical (red). The location and orientation of J0617's wake are mysterious for astronomers who would have expected it to be aligned toward the center of IC 443.
[Runtime: 0:32]
(Chandra X-ray: NASA/CXC/B.Gaensler et al; ROSAT X-ray: NASA/ROSAT/Asaoka & Aschenbach; Radio Wide: NRC/DRAO/D.Leahy; Radio Detail: NRAO/VLA; Optical: DSS)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG Beginning with a wide-field view of the supernova remnant IC 443, this sequence moves into a closer look at the neutron star embedded within known as J0617. The images show these objects in X-rays (blue), radio (green), and optical (red). The location and orientation of J0617's wake are mysterious for astronomers who would have expected it to be aligned toward the center of IC 443.
[Runtime: 0:32]
(Chandra X-ray: NASA/CXC/B.Gaensler et al; ROSAT X-ray: NASA/ROSAT/Asaoka & Aschenbach; Radio Wide: NRC/DRAO/D.Leahy; Radio Detail: NRAO/VLA; Optical: DSS)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: J0617 in IC 443
7. Animation and Composite Image of Crab Nebula
QuicktimeMPEG This sequence begins with an artist's animation of the explosion that produced the Crab Nebula, now an expanding debris field of extremely high-energy particles created from the death of a massive star. The view then fades into an image of the Crab composed of data from Chandra (light blue), Hubble (green and dark blue), and Spitzer (red).
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(Animation: ESA/Hubble/M. Kornmesser & L. L. Christensen Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J.Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/ASU/J.Hester & A.Loll; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. Minn./R.Gehrz)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG This sequence begins with an artist's animation of the explosion that produced the Crab Nebula, now an expanding debris field of extremely high-energy particles created from the death of a massive star. The view then fades into an image of the Crab composed of data from Chandra (light blue), Hubble (green and dark blue), and Spitzer (red).
[Runtime: 0:18]
(Animation: ESA/Hubble/M. Kornmesser & L. L. Christensen Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J.Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/ASU/J.Hester & A.Loll; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. Minn./R.Gehrz)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: Crab Nebula
Revised: April 17, 2013