logo

Video encyclopedia

Crab Nebula

0:51

Zooming in on the Crab Nebula

3:44

3D Visualization of the Crab Nebula

2:37

A Tour of the Crab Nebula

3:23

Crab Nebula Timelapse: "Epochs" (1999-2021)

1:45

Crab Nebula: 50 Years of Expansion

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. Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054, the nebula was observed later by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731. The nebula was the first astronomical object identified with a historical supernova explosion.