M1
Alternative Designations: NGC 1952
Object Type: galactic nebula or SNR
Constellation: Taurus
Distance: 6.3 kly
Right Ascension: 05h 34m 31.9s
Declination: +22° 00´ 52"
Visual Brightness: 8.4
Apparent Dimension: 6.0´ X 4.0´
Best Month To View: Dec

The Crab Nebula, M1, was the first nebulous object observed by Charles Messier. It is a cloud of expanding gas left over from a supernova explosion. In the center of this nebula is a 16th magnitude star that is the collapsed core of the supernova. It is a pulsar, perhaps even a rotating neutron star. M1 can be seen easily with a pair of binoculars. A telescope will bring out more of the nebula's fine details.