The Tarantula Nebula (also known as 30 Doradus) is an H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).The Tarantula Nebula was observed by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille during an expedition to the Cape of Good Hope between 1751 and 1753.The Tarantula Nebula has an apparent magnitude of 8. Considering its distance of about 49 kpc (160,000 light-years), this is an extremely luminous non-stellar object. 30 Doradus has at its centre the star cluster NGC 2070 which includes the compact concentration of stars known as R136 that produces most of the energy that makes the nebula visible. The estimated mass of the cluster is 450,000 solar masses, suggesting it will likely become a globular cluster in the future. In addition to NGC 2070, the Tarantula Nebula contains a number of other star clusters including the much older Hodge 301. The most massive stars of Hodge 301 have already exploded in supernovae.The closest supernova observed since the invention of the telescope, Supernova 1987A, occurred in the outskirts of the Tarantula Nebula. There is a prominent supernova remnant enclosing the open cluster NGC 2060, but the remnants of many other supernovae are difficult to detect in the complex nebulosity. (text adapted from Wikipedia-The free Encyclopedia).
- Exposure : 12 x 5 minutes, 800 iso
- Telescope : Takahashi FSQ106 F/5 on AP1200 mount
- Guiding : STV with efinder
- Camera: Canon 20 Da
- Location : Tivoli Farm, Namibia
- Date : July, 2010