Credit & Copyright: Anglo-Australian Telescope
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Explanation:
The dark dusty Keyhole Nebula gets its name from its unusual shape.
Designated NGC 3324, the
Keyhole
Nebula is a smaller region superposed on the bright
Eta Carina
Nebula.
The Eta Carina Nebula is the largest nebula in angular extent on the sky,
larger than the famous Orion Nebula,
but its southerly location makes it less familiar to Northern Hemisphere
skywatchers.
The star Eta Carinae
itself is extremely variable and has faded in a mere 150 years - formerly
one of the brightest in the sky it is now invisible
without a telescope.
The nebula created by the star's
19th century outburst has been photographed by the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Latest Comet Hyakutake images:
APOD Hyakutake Archive,
JPL,
Fayetteville
Observer-Times,
NASA's Night of
the Comet,
ICSTARS,
Jerry Lodriguss,
ScienceWeb,
Crni Vrh Obs.,
Cent. Mich. U.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: nebula - Keyhole Nebula - Eta Carinae
Publications with words: nebula - Keyhole Nebula - Eta Carinae
See also: