The photo below was taken by Richard Weatherston with some history about the object.
Here is a photo of the Crab Nebula I took when it was clear. It was -13 C.
The Crab Nebula is the remains of a supernova explosion that took place in 1054.
Shortly after that date in 1066 William the Conqueror invaded England and set up the feudal system.
In 1731 an English astronomer located and recorded the nebula. Charles Messier independently located it in 1758. In the early twentieth century, the analysis of early photographs of the nebula taken several years apart revealed that it was expanding.
Tracing the expansion back revealed that the nebula must have become visible on Earth about 900 years before. Historical records revealed that a new star bright enough to be seen in the daytime had been recorded in the same part of the sky by Chinese astronomers on 4 July 1054, and probably also by Japanese observers.
Chinese texts indicate that on the authority of the Chief of the Astronomical Bureau at K'ai-feng, a guest star was first sighted between 9 June and 7 July 1054 to the north-west of ζ Tauri; it became as bright as Venus, and was visible in daylight for 23 days.
Here is a photo of the Crab Nebula I took when it was clear. It was -13 C.
The Crab Nebula is the remains of a supernova explosion that took place in 1054.
Shortly after that date in 1066 William the Conqueror invaded England and set up the feudal system.
In 1731 an English astronomer located and recorded the nebula. Charles Messier independently located it in 1758. In the early twentieth century, the analysis of early photographs of the nebula taken several years apart revealed that it was expanding.
Tracing the expansion back revealed that the nebula must have become visible on Earth about 900 years before. Historical records revealed that a new star bright enough to be seen in the daytime had been recorded in the same part of the sky by Chinese astronomers on 4 July 1054, and probably also by Japanese observers.
Chinese texts indicate that on the authority of the Chief of the Astronomical Bureau at K'ai-feng, a guest star was first sighted between 9 June and 7 July 1054 to the north-west of ζ Tauri; it became as bright as Venus, and was visible in daylight for 23 days.
