James Webb Space Telescope Delivers Unprecedented View of Crab Nebula, Reveals New Details of Supernova Remnant

Webb's infrared capabilities offer new clues to the nebula's origin, capturing intricate structures obscured by cosmic gas that reveal the aftermath of the 1054 CE supernova.

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an unprecedented view of the Crab Nebula, revealing new details of the supernova remnant that exploded in 1054 CE.
Webb's infrared capabilities penetrate thick clouds of cosmic gas, revealing new elements such as a dust cloud surrounding a bright star, the core left over from the stellar explosion in 1054 CE and a milky smoke-like material winding through the nebula.
The telescope's capacity to capture such detail is attributed to its large mirror, over 21 feet across, and its primary function as an infrared telescope, allowing it to view light in the infrared spectrum and penetrate areas obscured to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The telescope is also able to analyse distant exoplanets thanks to specialized equipment called spectrographs, enabling scientists to decipher what molecules exist in these far-off worlds' atmospheres.
Scientists continue to analyse more data obtained from the James Webb Space Telescope as they seek more answers about the origins of the Crab Nebula, and the unusual phenomenon observed therein, shedding light on the conditions, behavior and after-effects of supernovae.