The Keyhole in the Carina Nebula
Explanation:
The dark dusty Keyhole Nebula gets its name from its unusual shape.
The looping Keyhole, in this
featured classic image by the
Hubble Space Telescope, is a smaller region inside the larger
Carina Nebula.
Dramatic dark dust knots and complex features are sculpted by the
winds and radiation of the
Carina Nebula's
many massive and energetic stars.
In particular, the shape of the
dust cloud on the upper left of the
Keyhole Nebula
may stimulate the human imagination to appear similar to, for example, a
superhero flying through a cloud,
arm up, with a saved person in
tow below.
The region lies
about 7,500 light-years away in planet Earth's southern sky.
The Keyhole Nebula was created by the dying star
Eta Carina ,
out of the frame, which is prone to violent outbursts during its
final centuries.
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APOD 2017 Calendar: NASA Images
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