M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble
This is the mess that is left when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula , the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD , is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion. The featured image , taken by the Hubble Space Telescope , is presented in three colors chosen for scientific interest . The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light-years . In the nebula 's very center lies a pulsar : a neutron star as massive as the Sun but with only the size of a small town . The Crab Pulsar rotates about 30 times each second.