M1 - the Crab Nebula
[Messier object number 1], the Crab Nebula, is the most famous supernova remnant. It was first observed in 1054 AD when the progenitor star exploded in a supernova explosion. The explosion probably created a "star" some four times brighter than Venus in the sky. It is some [6,500] light-years away from the Earth. At the centre of this stunning object is the Crab Pulsar - a rapidly rotating ball of neutrons known as a neutron star. It is some 30km in radius but rotates at 30.2 times per second! With binoculars this can be seen as a faint blur but is an excellent small telescope object.
