M1 Crab Nebula Estes Park Memorial Observatory Posted on July 15, 2015 by Estes Park Memorial ObservatoryDecember 23, 2018 M1 – Crab Nebula: Location: Taurus; Distance: 6.5 ± 1.6 Thousand Light Years; Supernova Observed in 1054 AD. Diameter: approx. 11 light years; Expansion Rate: 1,500 km/sec.