Spectacular 'honeycomb heart' revealed in iconic stellar explosion

A unique heart shape, with wisps of gas filaments showing an intricate honeycomb-like arrangement, has been discovered at the center of the iconic supernova remnant, the Crab Nebula. Astronomers have mapped the void in unprecedented detail, creating a realistic three-dimensional reconstruction.

The Crab, formally known as Messier 1, exploded as a dramatic supernova in 1054 CE, and was observed over the subsequent months and years by ancient astronomers across the world.

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Credit: Thomas Martin, Danny Milisavljevic and Laurent DrissenLicence typeAttribution (CC BY 4.0)

3D reconstruction of the Crab nebula remnant as seen from Earth (right), and from another point of view showing its heart-shaped morphology (left).

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Flythrough of the Crab Nebula