NASA | A Flickering X-ray Candle

The Crab Nebula, once considered a steady beacon for X-ray astronomers, has shown unexpected variations in brightness. Observations from 1999 to 2008 revealed fluctuations, and since 2008, a decline in brightness was detected by NASA's Fermi satellite, which also observed gamma ray flares. Scientists believe these changes are due to processes within the nebula's core, powered by a rapidly spinning neutron star. Future research with advanced X-ray telescopes is needed to understand these long-term changes.

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