M1, also known as the Crab Nebula, is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula located in the constellation Taurus, approximately 6,500 light years from Earth.

It is the remnant of a supernova explosion, designated SN 1054, which was observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD and recorded as a "guest star".

The explosion was so bright that it was visible in daylight for 23 days and remained visible to the naked eye for about two years.

The nebula was first discovered in 1731 by English astronomer John Bevis and later independently found by Charles Messier in 1758, who cataloged it as M1, the first object in his famous catalog.

The name "Crab Nebula" originated from a drawing made by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, in the 1840s, which resembled a crab