30 Doradus - The Tarantula Nebula
30 Doradus - The Tarantula Nebula
The Tarantula Nebula, spans more than 1000 light-years and is located in the constellation of Dorado (The Dolphin fish) in the far southern sky.
This stunning nebula is part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that measures about 14 000 light-years across. The Large Magellanic Cloud is one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way.
Its luminosity is so great that if it were as close to Earth as the Orion Nebula, the Tarantula Nebula would cast visible shadows. In fact it is the most active starburst region known in the Local Group of galaxies.