M1 - The Crab Nebula
Wed Mar 29 2023
The Crab Nebula, Messier 1, is the wreckage of a star that was seen exploding in the year 1054, so bright it was recorded by observers around the world. Nearly a thousand years later, its shredded remains are still expanding across space, about 6,500 light-years away. It amazes me that we can photograph the debris of a millennium-old supernova from a backyard.
About this object
- Type
- Supernova Remnant
- Constellation
- Taurus (the Bull)
- Distance
- ~6,500 light-years
- Apparent magnitude
- 8.4
- Apparent size
- 8.0′ × 4.0′
- Also known as
- Crab Nebula
- Catalogue designations
- M 1, NGC 1952
Acquisition
- Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 31 mm: 70 × 3m (3h 30m)
- Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 31 mm: 40 × 3m (2h 0m)
- Total integration: 5h 30m
Equipment
- Telescope / Lens: Celestron C8
- Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro
- Mount: Celestron CGEM II
- Filters: Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha 31 mm, Antlia 3nm Narrowband Oxygen III 31 mm
- Guiding scope: SVBony SV106 60mm Guide Scope
- Guiding camera: ZWO ASI224MC
- Accessories: Celestron 0.63X SCT Reducer (94175), ZWO EFW 8 x 1.25″ / 31mm
- Software: Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
Astrophotography by David Joyce, AstroDavido.