In the year 1054 A.D., a star in our galaxy briefly became so bright that it was recorded by Japanese and Chinese astronomers. One account recorded the star as visible in daylight—making it as bright as Venus and possibly rivaling the crescent Moon!

We know of this event because of the records from Asia, cave drawings in New Mexico and by the evidence the star itself left in the sky—namely the Crab Nebula. This nebula is one of the most popular targets for amateur (and professional) astronomers, and just a part of what remains of the original star that exploded almost one thousand years ago.