(19) Crab Nebula: Origins

Workshop proposed by: UniGe Observatoire

Languages: English (1), French (2)

We will calculate the date of origin (i. e. explosion) of the Nebula Crab by comparing three pictures taken in 1942, 1976, and 1999. Since 1921 it is known that this nebula is expanding, and in 1928, Edwin Hubble calculated that its origin should date back to 900 years ago. They also linked its birth with the explosion of a supernova in 1054 as documented in old chinese texts. You will walk in Hubble's steps and calculate the expansion rate of the nebula, to compute when the star at its origin exploded.

 

 

 

Workshop presented by: Sylvia Ekström