Crab Nebula Composite Image
A composite image of the Crab Nebula showing the X-ray (blue), and optical (red) images superimposed. The size of the X-ray image is smaller because the higher energy X-ray emitting electrons radiate away their energy more quickly than the lower energy optically emitting electrons as they move. The inner ring is about one light year across.
Scale: 2.24' across
Observation Date: April 6, 2001
Observation Time: Chandra: 6.50hrs, HST:1-orbit CRSPLIT exposure
Obs. ID: Chandra: 2000
Color Code: Energy
Instrument: Chandra: ACIS-S, HST:HST WFPC2, F547M filter
(Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/HST/ASU/J. Hester et al.)

X-ray Wide Field View
This image represents a snapshot from a movie that shows dynamic rings, wisps and jets of matter and antimatter around the pulsar in the Crab Nebula as observed in X-ray light by Chandra. The inner ring is about one light year across.
Scale: square region is 2.24' across
Observation Date: April 6, 2001
Observation Time: 6.50 hours
Obs. ID: 2000
Color Code: Intensity
Instrument: ACIS-S
(Credit: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.)

X-ray, Optical & Radio Composite
A composite image of the Crab Nebula showing X-ray in blue, optical in green, and radio in red.
(Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/HST/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF)

6 panel of Chandra & Hubble, closeup
This closeup view of the Chandra (left) and Hubble (right) images shows the motion of the wisps in 3 sets of the Crab Nebula joint observations.
(Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/HST/ASU/J. Hester et al.)

6 panel of Chandra & Hubble, full field
This comparison between the Chandra (left) and Hubble (right) images of the Crab Nebula shows 3 sets of full field views.
(Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al.; Optical: NASA/HST/ASU/J. Hester et al.)

Chandra X-ray Image with Scale Bar
Scale bar = 18 arcsec
Credit: NASA/CXC/ASU/J.Hester et al.