Mumbai, April 12: The Crab Nebula, one of the well-known and enigmatic astronomical objects in the space, was featured in a photo that was released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the space agency of the United States. The image of the dazzling cosmic object, which is located in the Taurus constellation and is 6,500 light-years away, was obtained using NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), which was launched on December 9, 2021. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Takes Stunning Image of Uranus; Shows Dramatic Rings, Bright Features in Planet’s Atmosphere. 

What About This Picture is Historic?

The Crab Nebula was the target of sensors that were launched in a sounding rocket for the first time in 1971, giving the just published image a long history. On a strip chart recorder, a machine that wrote signals on paper, scientists back then would first receive scientific data. On the day of launch, astronomer Martin Weisskopf and his associates started their study for this project by measuring the separation between signals with a ruler and pencil.

Not until a few decades later did the astronomer suggest creating a spacecraft outfitted with ‘powerful instruments’ that would enable them to make more precise measurements of the Crab Nebula and other enigmatic cosmic objects. This prompted the development of IXPE, and more than 50 years later, researchers have a detailed study of the magnetic field of the Crab Nebula.

NASA’s IXPE Captures ‘Crab Nebula’

 

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What Have The Scientists Discovered?

The Crab Nebula's magnetic field was what the scientists were most interested in, despite the fact that the nebula's appearance is a sight to behold. ‘More of its inner workings than ever before have been disclosed’, said NASA. NASA Shares Stunning New Images of Universe Taken From James Webb Space Telescope; Check Pictures. 

The Crab Nebula's magnetic field matches that of the similarly shaped Vela Pulsar Wind Nebula, according to the researchers, but they were taken aback by how the turbulence in some areas of the magnetic field was "more patchy and asymmetrical than expected."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 12, 2023 12:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).