Tarantula Nebula
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| Tarantula Nebula | |
 The Tarantula Nebula taken by the Spitzer space telescope |
|
| Observation data: J2000 epoch | |
|---|---|
| Type | Emission |
| Right ascension | 05h 38m 38s[1] |
| Declination | -69° 05.7′[1] |
| Distance | 180 ± 10 kly (49 ± 3 kpc)[2][3] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +8[2] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 40′ × 25′[2] |
| Constellation | Dorado |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Radius | 500 ly |
| Absolute magnitude (V) | ? |
| Notable features | In LMC |
| Other designations | NGC 2070[2], Doradus Nebula[1], Dor Nebula[1], 30 Doradus |
| See also: Diffuse nebula, Lists of nebulae | |
The Tarantula Nebula (also known as 30 Doradus, or NGC 2070) is an H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It was originally thought to be a star, but in 1751 Nicolas Louis de Lacaille recognized its nebular nature.
The Tarantula Nebula has an apparent magnitude of 8. Considering its distance of about 180,000 light years, this is an extremely luminous non-stellar object. Its luminosity is so great that if it were as close to Earth as the Orion Nebula, the Tarantula Nebula would cast shadows. In fact, it is the most active starburst region known in the Local Group of galaxies. It is also the largest and most active such region in the Local Group with an estimated diameter of 200 pc.[3] The nebula resides on the leading edge of the LMC, where ram pressure stripping, and the compression of the interstellar medium likely resulting from this, is at a maximum. At its core lies the extremely compact cluster of stars (~2.5 pc diameter)[3] - R136a - 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 future.[4]
In addition to R136, the Tarantula Nebula also contains an older star cluster—catalogued as Hodge 301—with an age of 20–25 million years. The most massive stars of this cluster have already exploded in supernovae.[5]
The closest supernova since the invention of the telescope, Supernova 1987A, occurred in the outskirts of the Tarantula Nebula.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for Tarantula Nebula. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/Simbad. Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
- ^ a b c d "SEDS Students for the Exploration and Development of Space". Results for Tarantula Nebula. http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n2070.html. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
- ^ a b c Lebouteiller, V.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Brandl, B.; Whelan, D. G.; Wu, Yanling; Charmandaris, V.; Devost, D.; Houck, J. R. (June 2008). "Chemical Composition and Mixing in Giant H II Regions: NGC 3603, 30 Doradus, and N66". The Astrophysical Journal 680 (1): 398–419. doi:. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008ApJ...680..398L.
- ^ Bosch, Guillermo; Terlevich, Elena; Terlevich, Roberto (2009). "Gemini/GMOS Search for Massive Binaries in the Ionizing Cluster of 30 Dor". Astronomical Journal 137 (2): 3437–3441. doi:. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009AJ....137.3437B.
- ^ Grebel, Eva K.; Chu, You-Hua (2000). "Hubble Space Telescope Photometry of Hodge 301: An "Old" Star Cluster in 30 Doradus". Astronomical Journal 119 (2): 787–799. doi:. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000AJ....119..787G.
[edit] External links
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