Perhaps the most prominent phenomenon in the night sky, arguably, is the Crab Nebula. They are the remains of a supernova that was observable about 1000 years ago during the daytime. We will now have an improved glimpse of this famous supernova remnant in time for Valentine's Day due to new technologies.
This 3D reconstruction of the Crab Nebula is made of 406,472 individual points where nebular emission has been detected in SITELLE spectra. The velocity of each element has been translated into a spatial position by assuming an unaccelerated outward motion. The glowing blue sphere at the center is artificial and simulates the continuum emitted by the pulsar wind nebula.
For the first time, researchers from several organizations, led by Thomas Martin of Universite Laval, have produced a three-dimensional representation of the nebula. In the Monthly Notes of the Royal Astronomical Society, experts released this beautiful heart-shaped picture this week.
Judge for yourself if this 3D map shows inside its core vacuum a "honeycomb heart." Still, there is something inherently sweet, although violently so, about supernovae.
After all, we include remnants of elements forged in supernova collisions, all of which are constructed of "star stuff." We also realize that the beautiful gas filaments in the Crab Nebula are radioactive waste expanding through the universe, scientifically speaking.
What is this heart nebula all about?
Dan Milisavljevic, an assistant professor and co-author at Purdue University, told Forbes that the Crab is primarily understood to be the result of an electron-capture supernova induced by an oxygen-neon-magnesium core collapse. But the composition of the honeycomb observed might not be per this example.
In large-scale circles, the Crab's ejecta is organized, indicating a chaotic blending and nuclear plumes spreading from its collapsed iron heart. NASA said the Heart Nebula (IC 1805) is 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Since they produce heavy metals, supernova blasts are among the most energetic and most significant events in the Universe. Then they add them to dust and gas clouds that fall later to create stars, planets, and life itself.
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What is this heart nebula made of?
Astronomers have long concluded that oxygen, neon, and magnesium created the nucleus of the star. In the center of the nebula, though, they noticed a framework that could bring the composition into question.
Scientifically speaking, the beautiful filaments of gas in the Crab Nebula are simply nuclear waste expanding into the universe. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a reasonable solution so far to what would have been the original composition.
But if there's one thing scientists will need to address that question, that's evidence. And a lot of it needs to go along with the data obtained by the team headed by Dr. Martin.
The SITELLE spectrometer, a part of the Canada-Hawaii-France Telescope installed in Hawai'i, was used (where it recently snowed). The team was able to gather 300,000 spectra over the whole nebula with this extremely detailed device.
SITELLE has already obtained data on several other related supernovas since it is precisely what it is supposed to do. Another important finding from this early data study is that a large-scale ring formation, which is also found in the Crab Nebula, shapes the ejecta in at least two main supernova remnants.
ALSO READ: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Detect Chaotic Heart of Orion Nebula
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