M1, the Crab Nebula, is the first object in Charles Messier's catalog. It is composed of the remnants of a supernova, a star that exploded in 1054 AD and left behind this expanding cloud of gas and debris.

This supernova was so bright, it was visible during the daytime.

After the star exploded, a neutron star called a pulsar was left behind. This pulsar has the same mass as the Sun, but a diameter of only 18 miles compared to the Sun's diameter of 857,492 miles. The Crab nebula pulsar shines at magnitude 16 and rotates 30.2 times per second.

M1 is located 1 degree northwest of Zeta Tauri in Taurus. It has an apparent size of 6 x 4 arcminutes and a visual brightness of magnitude 8.4. It is located at a distance of 6,500 light-years from Earth.

Astrophotos taken 30 years apart show the expansion of the nebula in real time. Today, the cloud of debris left behind by the supernova has expanded to 12 light-years in diameter.

The nebula was first discovered by John Bevis in 1731, and independently re-discovered by Charles Messier in 1758.

North is to the top in the above image.

Messier 1 Catalogs: M1, NGC 1952, LBN 833 Common Name: Crab Nebula Object Type: Supernova Remnant Magnitude: 8.4v Size: 6' x 4' Constellation: Taurus Image Field Centered At: RA: 05h 34m 30s Dec: +22° 00' 19"