M1 / NCC1952
"Crab Nebula"
Object Info

The "Crab Nebula" is the expanding remnant of a supernova which actually exploded over 7200 years ago. The Chinese recorded the event in July of 1054 AD, noting a "guest" star, visible in daylight, in the modern constellation Taurus. Outer layers of gas from the progenitor star were ejected in the explosion and have been expanding ever since. These clouds of gas are visible now because the neutron star, created during the supernova and visible near the center of the cloud, emits ultra-violet radiation which causes the gas cloud to fluoresce. Left-click the center area of this image to locate the pulsar or neutron star.