The nebula resulted from one of the earliest supernovae to be recorded by human beings, and its striking form has made it a popular target for amateur and professional astronomers alike.

Located roughly 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Taurus, the chaotic twisting clouds of dust and gas mark the site of one of the Universe's most violent and dramatic events, a supernovae. In the year 1054, light emitted during the explosion was the second brightest point in the night sky, outshone only by Earth's Moon.

As the star that formed the nebula died, it threw out vast quantities of material. In its death throws, the stellar body's core began to collapse, causing massive amounts of protons and electrons to condense and merge to form an ultra-dense neutron core, which can still be seen to this day.