Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Taurus (Tau)  ·  Contains:  Crab nebula  ·  M 1  ·  NGC 1952  ·  Sh2-244
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M1 - The Crab Nebula, Timothy Martin
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M1 - The Crab Nebula

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M1 - The Crab Nebula, Timothy Martin
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M1 - The Crab Nebula

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Description

This is Messier 1, the Crab Nebula. The remnant of a supernova explosion that Chinese astronomers observed in 1054 (and was visible during the daytime), this object is 6,500 light years away. The remnant was first observed by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. Later, Charles Messier was hunting for comets and mistook this object for Halley's Comet. So the famed Messier Catalog actually begins with a blunder.

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