Exploring the Crab Nebula

In 5466 BC in the constellation of Taurus, the last weeks of a stars life were drawing too close. Having a mass of at least 8 times that of our Sun during its main sequence life, this star's death resulted in a magnificent supernova. Yet, it wouldn't be until about 6,500 years later that the first photons from the explosion would begin reaching Earth. This describes simply a taste of the processes that led to both the creation and discovery of the intriguing Crab Nebula that is found within the cosmos today.
The Crab Nebula is the most famous supernova remnant.…