Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud
From The European Southern Observatory
30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070), is in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), some 170,000 light-years away. It is one of the largest known star-forming regions in the Local Group of Galaxies. It was first catalogued as a star, but then recognized to be a nebula by the French astronomer A. Lacaille in 1751-52. The Tarantula Nebula is the only extra-galactic nebula that can be seen with the unaided eye. It contains in t he center the open stellar cluster R 136 with many of the largest, hottest, and most massive stars known.
The composite image is based on three exposures through different optical broadband filters (B: 429 nm central wavelength; 88 nm FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum), V: 554/111 nm, R: 655/165 nm). All were taken with the 2048 pixel x 2048 pixel CCD detector with a field of view of 6.8 x 6.8 acrmin square; each pixel measures 24 µm square. North is up and East is to the left.
Based on press release with ESO PR Photo 05a/00
Catalog #: Photo 05a/00
Target Name: Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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 Last Modified On: Saturday, December 16, 2000