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Credit & Copyright: Processing -
Robert Gendler
Data - Hubble Tarantula Treasury, European Southern Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, Amateur Sources
Explanation:
The Tarantula Nebula,
also known as 30 Doradus, 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, it's the largest,
most violent star forming region known in the whole Local
Group of galaxies.
The cosmic arachnid sprawls across
this magnificent
view,
an assembly of image data from large space- and ground-based telescopes.
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 lower right.
The rich field of view spans about 2 degrees
or 4 full moons in the southern
constellation Dorado.
But were the Tarantula Nebula closer, say 1,500 light-years distant like
the Milky Way's own star forming Orion Nebula,
it would take up half the sky.
Data - Hubble Tarantula Treasury, European Southern Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, Amateur Sources
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& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: LMC - Tarantula Nebula
Publications with words: LMC - Tarantula Nebula
See also: