The Crab supernova remnant is the remains of a star seen to explode in 1054 AD. In the
explosion, the outer layers of the star were blasted off, leaving a dense rotating neutron star,
or pulsar, in the centre. Emission from the neutron star energizes the supernova remnant of
gas, which still glows brightly almost 1000 years later.
Observations using the Chandra
X-ray satellite show for the first time tilted rings or waves of high-energy particles that appear
to have been flung outward over a light year from the neutron star, and high-energy jets of
particles blasting off perpendicular to the spiral.
The images will be used to understand
how the neutron star transmits energy to the surrounding interstellar medium.
