The Supernova of 1054, Our Very Special Guest Star

The transcript discusses the supernova of 1054, observed as a bright guest star in Taurus. It was visible worldwide and later identified as the Crab Nebula with a central pulsar, M1. The supernova's light took 7,500 years to reach Earth. The Crab Nebula is expanding, and its rate of expansion was found to be accelerating. Theories suggest missing mass due to stellar winds. The supernova remains a subject of fascination and study.

What was the celestial event observed in 1054, and what did it eventually become known as?

• A meteor shower, later known as the Perseids

• A supernova, later known as the Crab Nebula

• A comet, later known as Halley's Comet

• A solar eclipse, later known as the Great Eclipse

How often do supernovae occur in the Milky Way galaxy?

• Every 40 to 80 years

• Every 10 to 20 years

• Every 100 to 200 years

• Every 500 to 1000 years

What is the Crab Nebula primarily composed of?

• Ionized helium, hydrogen, and other simple gases

• Carbon dioxide and methane

• Oxygen and nitrogen

• Silicon and iron

What discovery did Dartmouth College astronomers make about the Crab Nebula in 2007?

• It was moving towards Earth

• Its rate of expansion was accelerating

• It had stopped expanding

• It was shrinking in size

What phenomenon might explain the missing mass of the supernova's remnants?

• Black hole formation

• Dark matter

• Gravitational waves

• Stellar winds from massive stars