APOD 4.8- Unexpected Flare in the Crab Nebula

Over the past few years the Crab Nebula has been observed in gamma ray light by the Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope. Scientists have noticed that the nebula pulses occasionally with five times the average gamma rays as usual. No one is completely sure why this occurs however, there is speculation that it is involved with the very compact neutron star at the center of the nebula. This pulsar rotates thirty times per second and could potentially be emitting much of the energy seen by the telescope because of the surrounding magnetic field. The changes in the magnetic field could emit rays of electrons, much similar to the Sun's flares. The pulses from the nebula peak and fade within only a few days.