Posted on 05/23/2011 7:32:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
[Credit: NASA, DOE, Fermi LAT, R. Buehler (SLAC, KIPAC)] Explanation: Why does the Crab Nebula flare? No one is sure. The unusual behavior, discovered over the past few years, seems only to occur in very high energy light -- gamma rays. As recently as one month ago, gamma-ray observations of the Crab Nebula by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope showed an unexpected increase in gamma-ray brightness, becoming about five times the nebula's usual gamma-ray brightness, and fading again in only a few days. Now usually the faster the variability, the smaller the region involved. This might indicate that the powerful pulsar at the center of the Crab, a compact neutron star rotating 30 times a second, is somehow involved. Specifically, speculation is centered on the changing magnetic field that surely surrounds the powerful pulsar. Rapid changes in this field might lead to waves of rapidly accelerated electrons which emit the flares, possibly in ways similar to our Sun. The above image shows how the Crab Nebula normally appears in gamma rays, as compared to the Geminga pulsar, and how it then appeared during the recent brightening.
(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...
Hell, two crabs ain’t enough.
Everybody loves crabs. The more the merrier.
Who wouldn’t be happy to get a case...
I’m gamma try not to be crabby about all this nonsense!
Are you on my sidle or not?
LOL!
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I tried poaching crabs after dark, but got pinched.
Male crabs are sons of the beach.
INDEED.
I bet you were steamed.
I shell have to answer that later.
Surely you aren’t side stepping this issue.
I conch keep up.
You’ll have to scuttle along behind, or claw your way to the front.
Tide rather not have to, but will if it’s necessary.
Pool your resources, and don’t be so crabby.
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