The Crab Nebula, as it’s commonly known, is connected to one of the earliest recorded supernova explosions.  In 1054 AD, Chinese Astronomers saw the explosion of this supernova as an incredibly bright star in the sky lasting about two weeks, before fading.  Now, nearly 1000 years later, the explosion is still happening as an expanding shock front rich in heavy elements moves through the interstellar medium.  When the shock front hits dust or gas it is slowed down, giving the resulting nebula a unique shape.  In this case, it looks like a crab. The supernova wasn’t exactly the death of the original...