Crab Nebula (M1) Position and Visibility Tonight
Where is Crab Nebula (M1) right now?
Crab Nebula (M1) visibility on 2026-09-07
Crab Nebula (M1) rise and set timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
| Moonset | 14:56 | -20° |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:58 | -28° |
| Crab Nebula (M1) rise | 22:24 | |
Moonrise, 21% illuminated  | 23:21 | 10° |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:13 | 56° |
| Twilight end | 03:45 | 62° |
| Civil sunrise | 04:17 | 67° |
| Sunrise | 04:44 | 71° |
| Crab Nebula (M1) transit | 05:35 | 75° |
Track Crab Nebula (M1) Position Throughout the Night
← 7 September 2026 →
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| Altitude | |
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M1 - Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula (M1) is a supernova remnant located in the constellation Taurus. It was first observed by John Bevis in 1731 and later included in Charles Messier's catalog in 1758 as the first entry. The nebula is the result of a supernova explosion recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD.
Spanning about 11 light-years across, the Crab Nebula is expanding at a rate of approximately 1,500 kilometers per second. At its heart lies the Crab Pulsar, a rapidly rotating neutron star that emits pulses of radiation from gamma rays to radio waves. The pulsar has a rotational period of 33 milliseconds, making it one of the fastest known pulsars.
The nebula's distinctive filamentary structure and colorful appearance are due to the presence of various elements, such as hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon, and sulfur. These filaments are remnants of the progenitor star's outer layers that were expelled during the supernova explosion.
Due to its relatively high brightness and well-defined structure, the Crab Nebula is a popular target for both amateur and professional astronomers. Located about 6,500 light-years from Earth, it has an apparent magnitude of 8.4, making it visible through small telescopes.
M1 — Image Gallery
DSS Blue
DSS Red
DSS Near-Infrared
DSS Composite Image
The images come from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under contract with NASA, using data from UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), European Southern Observatory (ESO), National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).
Special thanks to National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.
Finder Chart for Crab Nebula (M1)
| Object name | Crab Nebula (M1) |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| Crab Nebula (M1) coordinates | 5.57555, 22.01447 |
| Center coordinates | 5.57555, 22.01447 |
Crab Nebula (M1) Passage Through Night
Current position of Crab Nebula (M1)
| Time | 13:29 |
| Latitude | 37.3541 |
| Longitude | -121.955 |
| Elevation | -7° |
| Azimuth | 304° |
When Is Crab Nebula (M1) Visible Throughout the Year?
Crab Nebula (M1) will remain visible until April 28, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.
| Date | Mon, 7 September 2026 |
| Twilight start | 18:54 |
| Twilight end | 03:07 |
| Twilight duration | 8h 13m |
| Rise | 22:24 |
| Set | 12:46 |
| Elevation at transit | 75° |
| Transit time | 05:35 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 05h 34m 31s", Dec: 22° 00' 52s |
| Magnitude | 8 |
| Constellation | Taurus |
You can also see when Crab Nebula (M1) is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
Astrometric and Physical Parameters of Crab Nebula (M1)
Coordinates and Visibility
| Right Ascension | 05h 34m 32s |
| Declination | 22° 00′ 52″ |
| Magnitude | 8.40 |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Elevation | -6.6° |
| Azimuth | 304.3° |
Data Credits
The deep-sky information on this page comes from the OpenNGC project developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed catalog data for nebulae, galaxies, clusters and other deep-sky objects.
For details or contributions, visit the official repository: OpenNGC GitHub.