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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
ESA,
N. Smith
(U. California, Berkeley)
et al.,
and The Hubble Heritage Team
(STScI/AURA)
Explanation:
In one of the brightest parts of
Milky Way lies a nebula where some of the oddest things
occur.
NGC 3372, known as the
Great Nebula in Carina,
is home to massive stars and changing nebula.
Eta Carinae, the most energetic star in the nebula,
was one of the brightest stars in the sky in the 1830s, but then faded dramatically.
The
Keyhole Nebula,
visible left the center, houses several of the most massive stars
known and has also changed its appearance.
The entire Carina Nebula
spans over 300 light years and lies about 7,500 light-years away in the
constellation of Carina.
Pictured above is the most detailed
image of the Carina Nebula
ever taken.
The controlled color
image
is a composite of 48 high-resolution frames taken by the
Hubble Space Telescope
and released to honor its 17th anniversary.
Wide-field
annotated and
zoomable image versions are also available.
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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: NGC 3372 - carina nebula - HST
Publications with words: NGC 3372 - carina nebula - HST
See also: