The Tarantula Nebula from Spitzer
Explanation:
In the heart of monstrous
Tarantula Nebula lies
one of the most unusual
star clusters.
Known as NGC 2070 or
R136,
it is home to a great number of
hot young stars.
The energetic light from these stars continually
ionizes nebula gas, while their energetic particle
wind blows
bubbles and defines intricate
filaments.
The new
Spitzer Space Telescope took the
above
representative-color infrared
image of this great
LMC
cluster details its tumultuous center in gas,
dust and young stars.
The
30 Doradus nebula is one of the
largest star-formation regions known, and has been creating
unusually strong episodes of
star formation every few million years.
In the heart of this heart is a
central
knot of stars
that is so
dense
it was once thought to be a single star.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
