NASA Reveals Stunning Image of a Crab Nebula, Remnants of Supernova in the Milky Way Galaxy

NASA recently released a stunning image of a crab nebula. The finished product reveals astonishing details and colors that could only be achieved by combining several instruments.

To arrive at final render, NASA combined data gathered by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) that's capable of capturing the entire breadth of the electromagnetic spectrum, the Chandra X-ray Observatory that provided the X-ray glow data, the Hubble Space Telescope with its visible-light view and the Spitzer Space Telescope with its infrared perspective.

When combined, the stunning image of a crab nebula was produced. According to NASA, a crab nebula is an iconic supernova, a remnant in the Milky Way galaxy. A crab nebula is composed of the filamentary cloud of gas and dust, which also emits stunning colors when viewed from different instruments.

To further show the striking details captured by many different and innovative instruments. NASA released a video showing the crab nebula. The image of the crab nebula turns from its composite state into a red-colored radio-light view in the view.

The red color indicates the fierce "wind" of charged particles from the energized nebula that emits radio waves. It then turns into a yellow infrared image that highlights the glow of dust particles. The crab nebula also turns into green courtesy of the Hubble Space Telescope. The green color shows the hot filamentary structures of the nebula. It then turns into blue, an ultraviolet image before it turns into its purple X-ray state.

The play of colors emphasized the different elements composing the crab nebula. By merging all data, scientists can look at the formation in many different forms making the analysis easier.

The famous Crab Nebula was seen by Chinese and astronomers in 1054. It is located about 6,500 light-years away from the planet. The Crab Nebula is in the center of a super-dense neutron star.