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Credit & Copyright:
S.A.A.O.
(1 Meter Telescope)
Explanation:
NGC 2070 is an immense star forming region in a nearby galaxy known
as the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Its spidery appearance is responsible for its popular name,
"The Tarantula Nebula", except that
this tarantula is about 1,000 light-years across, and
165,000 light-years away in
the southern constellation Dorado.
If it were at the distance of
the Orion Nebula,
the nearest stellar nursery to Earth, it
would appear to cover about 30 degrees on the sky or about 60 full moons.
The spindly arms of
the Tarantula Nebula
surround the 30 Doradus Star Cluster
which contains some of the intrinsically brightest, most massive stars known.
This celestial Tarantula is also seen near the site of
the closest recent Supernova.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
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: 30 Doradus
Publications with words: 30 Doradus
See also: