Object Analysis

The Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus) is an H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. It was originally thought to be a star, but in 1751 Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille recognized its nebular nature. It is located about 160,000 light-years away.

The Tarantula Nebula is the most active starburst region known in the Local Group of galaxies. It is so luminous that if it were as close to Earth as the Orion Nebula, it would cast visible shadows at night. It is home to the R136 cluster, which contains some of the most massive and luminous stars known, including R136a1, which is over 250 times the mass of the Sun.

Its spidery appearance in telescopes gave rise to its name. In 1987, the closest observed supernova since the invention of the telescope, SN 1987A, occurred in the outskirts of this nebula.