M1 Crab Nebula

The Crab nebula was first noticed as a "guest star" in 1024 A.D. A star exploded casting off a cloud of gases that continues to expand. It was bright enough to be seen during the day for several weeks gradually fading until it disappeared from sight. It was "rediscovered" with a telescope in 1731. It displays beautiful color in long exposure images, but is only a faint fuzzy gray patch in most telescopes. M1 is located in the constellation of Taurus and is approximately 6500 light years away.

Image courtesy of Brian Lula