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Michael A. Stecker
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Eta Carina Nebula
(Key-hole Nebula), NGC 3372
This is one of the most impressive objects in the sky of any type. It is a southern object in the constellation of Carina that spans about 2 degrees. The red glowing gas clouds are split by huge dark lanes giving the appearance of a starfish. The Eta Carina star which illuminates the nebula is an unstable blue supergiant a million times more luminous than our sun.
Photographic Data: An Astrophysics
130 mm f/6 EDF refractor (telecompressed to
f/4.5) and 35 mm camera were used with
hypersensitized Fujicolor HG 400 film and
was centered at RA 10 hrs, 44 min and
Declination 59.5 degrees South. Two
50-minute exposures were made from the
Carnegie Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.
The field of view is 3.4 x 2.2 degrees and
north is
to the left. A composite image was made in the computer. |
