The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus. The now-current name is due to William Parsons, who observed the object in 1840 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab.

Distance to Earth: 6,523 light years

Radius: 5.5 light years

Age: 1,001 years

Coordinates: RA 5h 34m 32s | Dec +22° 0′ 52″

Absolute magnitude (V): −3.1±0.5

Did you know: The Crab Nebula is the shattered remnant of a massive star that ended its life in a supernova explosion.