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Credit & Copyright: Processing -
Robert Gendler,
Roberto Colombari
Data - Hubble Tarantula Treasury, European Southern Observatory
Explanation:
The
Tarantula Nebula is more than a thousand light-years in diameter,
a giant star forming region within nearby satellite galaxy the
Large Magellanic Cloud,
about 180 thousand light-years away.
The largest, most violent star forming region known in the whole Local
Group of galaxies, the cosmic arachnid sprawls across
this
spectacular composite view constructed with space- and ground-based
image data.
Within the Tarantula (NGC 2070), intense radiation,
stellar winds and supernova shocks from the central young cluster of
massive stars, cataloged as R136,
energize the nebular glow and shape the spidery filaments.
Around
the Tarantula are other star forming regions with
young star clusters, filaments, and blown-out
bubble-shaped clouds
In fact, the frame includes the
site of the closest supernova in modern times,
SN
1987A, at the lower right.
The rich field of view spans about 1 degree
or 2 full moons, in the southern
constellation Dorado.
But were the Tarantula Nebula closer, say 1,500 light-years distant like
the local star forming Orion Nebula,
it would take up half the sky.
Data - Hubble Tarantula Treasury, European Southern Observatory
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Publications with keywords: LMC
Publications with words: LMC
See also: