Crab Nebula
Also known as Messier 1 (M1), the Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant resulting from a stellar explosion observed in 1054 CE. Located approximately 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, it spans about 10 light-years and is expanding at roughly 1,500 kilometers per second.
Source: apod.nasa.gov
APODs including "Crab Nebula"
Starry Night Scavenger Hunt
15/06/2010
Did you know that Van Gogh's painting Starry Night includes Comet Hale-Bopp? Hopefully not, because it doesn't. But the above image does. Although today's featured picture may appear at first glance to be a faithful digital reproduction of the original Starry Night, actually it is a modern rendition meant not only to honor one of the most famous paintings of the second millennium, but to act as a scavenger hunt. Can you find, in the above image, a comet, a spiral galaxy, an open star cluster, and a supernova remnant? Too easy? OK, then find, the rings of Supernova 1987A, NGC 2392, the Crab Nebula, Thor's Helmet, the Cartwheel Galaxy, and the Ant Nebula. Still too easy? Then please identify any more hidden images not mentioned here -- and there are several -- on APOD's main discussion board: Starship Asterisk. Finally, the collagist has graciously hidden APOD's 10th anniversary Vermeer photomontage to help honor APOD on its 15th anniversary tomorrow.