Science & technology

Hubble Captures Crab Nebula Anew, 25 Years Later

Is the Crab Nebula's expansion further proof of a universe in motion or of the enduring value of long-term telescope investment?

MAR 25·Updated MAR 26

Hubble Captures Crab Nebula Anew, 25 Years Later

Story

Above: Hubble images from 1999 (L) and 2024 (R) show the Crab Nebula expanding over time. Image credit: Vortex/X

The Spin

Narrative A

The Crab Nebula's ongoing expansion proves that the universe is anything but static — and Hubble's 25-year comparison makes that undeniable. Filaments racing outward at 3.4 million miles per hour, driven by synchrotron radiation from a pulsar, show a cosmic engine still roaring nearly a millennium after the explosion. And fortunately for observers, the nebula will continue evolving for millennia to come.

Universe Today

Narrative B

Hubble's return to the Crab Nebula isn't just a pretty picture — it's proof that long-term telescope investment pays off in ways no single mission can replicate. Only Hubble's unique combination of longevity and resolution could reveal filaments shifting outward over 25 years, and pairing that data with Webb's infrared observations will unlock a fuller picture of how supernovae reshape the cosmos.

NASA Science