M1 (Crab Nebula)M1 (Crab Nebula)

The Crab Nebula imaged with my Meade LX200 10" at F/6.3 and a ST8 CCD Camera. This image is 5 ten second exposures averaged together and was taken at Tehachapi California on Sept 1, 1997. The Crab Nebula is believed to be the Supernova of 1054 AD and was called the "guest star" by the Chinese. The Chinese observed this "guest star" for 23 DAYLIGHT days, and for a total of 24 months of night time observing. The Crab nebula is expanding at a rate of nearly 600 miles per second (50 million miles per day). This rate of expansion is fast enough that Astronomers are able to see changes in the nebulas structure over relativly short periods of time.
RA (2000)
05:34
DEC (2000)
22:01
Magnitude
9
Diameter
5 x 4 arc min
Distance
~ 6300 Light Years
Object Type
Nebula

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