Abstract
The radio source 3C58 (G130.7 + 3.1) marks the probable position of the supernova of AD1181 (ref. 1). In its morphology, apparent size and radio spectrum, it is remarkably similar to the Crab Nebula (SN1054), being a ‘filled-centre’ supernova remnant (SNR), rather than the more usual shell-type. When comparing the physical properties of 3C58 with the Crab, or other ‘filled-centre’ remnants, a knowledge of its distance is required, and this has been a long-standing problem. Often, a value, or lower limit, of ∼8 kpc has been assumed2–4, but this implies that 3C58, although slightly younger than the Crab, is some five times larger. Also, it places 3C58 over 400 pc from the galactic plane, which is very surprising if it, like the Crab, is the remnant of a Type II supernova. The observations presented here show that 3C58 is in fact much closer, at a distance of only 2.6 kpc.
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Green, D., Gull, S. Distance to Crab-like supernova remnant 3C58. Nature 299, 606–608 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/299606a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/299606a0
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