Day 7, Great Southern Expedition, Crab Nebula and Station X
19 Apr 2023Dante Ragnarson
3 Station X Crab Sector DL-Y d9 7,005.93I decided to have a day trip out to see NGC 1931 Nebula, but while pretty, it's not as impressive as either the Rosette or Jellyfish nebulas. Tomorrow I think I’ll take another break and go and see the Crab Nebula for a bit of comparison. What I really want to see is the remnant star from supernova nebulae, but those stars can be a little difficult to track down and space is not static, and the star may have moved on and may not be at the centre of the nebula as the layman might assume.
Well as fate would have it there are seven supernova remnants at the heart of the Crab Nebula, though we have been able to identify the progenitor star, which is now the central neutron star. It seems that there are two key ways for such a neutron star to be formed and have a nebula similar to that of the Crab Nebula, via a white dwarf supernova (fed from a donor giant) or from the explosion of a giant star with between 9 and 11 solar masses. Some sources consider the Crab Nebula to be an example of both a pulsar wind nebula as well as a supernova remnant, whatever the case it is the most beautiful nebula I have ever visited.
Station X is the last human habitation in the south, other than the DSSA FC array and the odd privately owned FC. Take a look at the amazing picture I took of the Crab Nebula as i approached Station X.
So I’m stocking up on what I need and even visited two moons that had Crystalline Shards, just in case. I have 150 Jumponium synthesis components, but I’m saving that for the extremes around Amundsen's Star, Sepositus Beacon and Arms End.