The expanding nebula (M1)./Courtesy of NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Jeff Hester (Arizona State University), Allison Roll (Arizona State University), T. Temim (Princeton University)

The celestial object known as the Crab Nebula (M1) is the remnant of a supernova explosion. It is a form of expanding gas and dust cloud formed from the explosion that occurred at the end stage of a very massive star. This supernova explosion was observed by Chinese and Arab astronomers in 1054. After the explosion, the nebula has grown to a size of about 10 light-years (1 light-year is the distance light travels in one year, approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers) and is expanding at a speed of about 1,500 kilometers per second.

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