The Crab Nebula as seen by CONCERTO

This image of the Crab Nebula (also known as Messier 1) in the constellation of Taurus is one of the first-light images taken by the CONCERTO instrument on APEX telescope, operated by ESO. It is the remnant of a supernova explosion at a distance of about 6,000 light-years, observed almost 1,000 years ago, in the year 1054. The total integration time is 3 minutes.

CONCERTO is able to scan the sky at frequencies between infrared and radio waves and has been designed to look at radiation emitted by ionised carbon atoms, one of the most valuable tracers of star formation in the early cosmic ages.