Messier 1 — Supernova Remnant in Taurus

The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation Taurus, about 6,500 light-years from Earth. It is the remnant of a supernova explosion that was recorded by Chinese and Japanese astronomers in 1054 AD. The nebula spans about 11 light-years across and is expanding at roughly 1,500 km/s. At its center lies the Crab Pulsar, a rapidly spinning neutron star rotating 30 times per second, which powers the nebula's continuous glow through synchrotron radiation.

Located about 1 degree northwest of the star Zeta Tauri (the tip of the southern horn of Taurus). In binoculars it appears as a small, faint fuzzy patch. A 4-inch telescope at around 100x shows an oval glow without much detail. Larger apertures (8 inches and up) begin to reveal mottled structure and hints of filamentary detail, especially with an OIII filter. Best observed from November through February. It never looks as dramatic visually as in photographs — temper expectations.

The supernova that created the Crab was observed on July 4, 1054 by Chinese court astronomers, who recorded a 'guest star' bright enough to be seen in daylight for 23 days. Japanese and possibly Arab and Native American observers also noted it. The nebula itself was independently discovered by John Bevis in 1731 and cataloged by Messier in 1758 — it was the very first entry in his catalog, inspiring the entire Messier catalog project.