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 colorimage
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.
