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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"

M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble

16/08/2015

M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble
Image Credit: NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

This is the mess that is left when a star explodes. The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD, is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion. The featured image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, is presented in three colors chosen for scientific interest. The Crab Nebula spans about 10 light-years. In the nebula's very center lies a pulsar: a neutron star as massive as the Sun but with only the size of a small town. The Crab Pulsar rotates about 30 times each second. Students (of all ages): See free astronomy lectures online