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M1 / Crab Nebula

Classification: Nebula / M1 / NGC1952 / supernova remnant
Constellation: Taurus (TAU)
Object Location: Ra 05h 35m 28s Dec +22° 01’16° (current)
Size & Distance: 6 x 6 Apx 6500 light years

Date & Location: 09-08-2007 Palomar Mountain, CA.
Exposure: LRGB L= 6 @ 10 min (bin 1x1) RGB=4 ea. @ 5 min (bin 2x2)
Optics: Telescope Engineering Company APO140ED @ f/7 F/L 940mm.
Mount: Astro-Physics 900 GTO / ATS 10x36 pier.
Camera: Starlight-Xpress SXV-H9 w/ SXV guider head and 2045.
Filters: Astrodon G1 LRGB
Software: MaxImDL 4.56, Photoshop CS

Notes: Sky conditions: Average seeing, Light wind, Temp 60°
Image Field of view is 23 x 31 arcmin.
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The Crab Nebula M1, NGC 1952, Taurus A, is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation of Taurus. Corresponding to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. At an apparent magnitude of 8.4, comparable to that of the largest moon of Saturn, not visible to the naked eye but can be made out using binoculars under favorable conditions.
The nebula has a diameter of 11 light years, corresponding to an apparent diameter of some 7 arc minutes) and expands at a rate of about 1,500 kilometers per second. It is part of the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy.
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