Astronomers say that the Crab Nebula is even brighter and more powerful than previously estimated. This also alters the standard for how scientists measure sources of ultra-high energy gamma rays like pulsars and neutron stars.

The Crab Nebula came into being after the supernova explosion of a massive star in A.D. 1054, resulting in one of the most iconic cosmic events. The fireworks have been driven for the past millennium by a pulsing neutron star that was left from the Crab Pulsar explosion and is one of the brightest sources of X-rays and gamma rays.

LHAASO at the rescue

The Crab Nebula is so bright that it has earned a name of “standard candle” and a source for studying ultra-high energy sources. Moreover, “crab” is a unit of measurement for the intensity of the Crab Nebula at the X-ray wavelength.

New measurements from China’s Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) show that the Crab Nebula can shine even brighter. The observatory found a photon of energy from the nebula that was around one quadrillion electron volts. This level is so high that indicates a presence of a natural particle accelerator near the center of the nebula.

Such a system would be capable of energizing electrons to levels 20,000 times that of the accelerators constructed on Earth can do. The new measurement could change the standard candle upward by over 1,000 times from the previous baseline set by previous studies of the nebula, as per a statement from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.          

New study to help future research

LHAASO “has accurately measured the brightness over 3.5 orders of magnitude of the standard candle in high-energy astronomy, thus calibrating a new standard for ultra-high-energy (UHE) gamma-ray sources.”

Scientists also suggest that the level of acceleration occurring within the nebula approaches the absolute theoretical limit, as per the current understanding of physics. LHAASO that is yet to be fully operational will help scientists deliver a clearer picture of the cosmos.