![A composite illustration of the AGILE satellite and the Crab Nebula imaged by the Chandra observatory. [Image courtesy of ASI, INAF and NASA]](http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tavani1HR.jpg)
The Crab Nebula is one of the most popular targets for astronomers of all stripes. It is readily viewable in moderate sized amateur telescopes and wows new viewers at star parties when they’re informed they’re looking at the remnant of a supernova that exploded in 1054 AD. The nebula is also a popular target for professional astronomers looking to study physics in the environment of a pulsar. Powered by synchrotron radiation from the pulsar, the nebula glows brightly across numerous wavelengths in a steady manner that is so consistent, that astronomers have used it to calibrate instruments in different portions of the spectrum. The largest regular variation discovered was a mere 3.5% in the X-ray portion of the spectrum.
But on September 22 of 2010, the Italian Space Agency?s AGILE satellite observed a sudden brightening in the nebula in the gamma ray portion of the spectrum.(...)
Read the rest of Crab Nebula Flares (276 words)
© jvois for Universe Today, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: crab nebula, flares, Gamma rays, Swift satellite
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Full story at http://www.universetoday.com/82301/crab-nebula-flares/
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