
ALT This composite image of the Crab Nebula combines X-ray and infrared light from NASA’s Chandra and Webb telescopes. The nebula is an oval with a complex interior structure against a black background. On its exterior are curtains of glowing red and orange fluffy material. Its interior shell has large-scale loops of mottled filaments of yellow-white and green, studded with clumps and knots. Nestled within is a blue and purple shape resembling a spinning toy top made of white wispy clouds, resting on its side. In the center is a ball of brilliant white light, which is the neutron star. It is the remnant of the star that exploded to create this nebula. From the bottom of the neutron star, a jet of matter is rushing downward, like scalding hot steam being released from a valve. The image is watermarked “Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major.”































