船底座星云

2022年4月25日

The Great Nebula in Carina
Image Credit & Copyright: Ignacio Javier Diaz Bobillo

Explanation: In one of the brightest parts of Milky Way lies a nebula where some of the oddest things occur. NGC 3372, known as the Great Nebula in Carina, is home to massive stars and changing nebulas. The Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324), the bright structure just below the image center, houses several of these massive stars. The entire Carina Nebula, captured here, spans over 300 light years and lies about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation of Carina. Eta Carinae, the most energetic star in the nebula, was one of the brightest stars in the sky in the 1830s, but then faded dramatically. While Eta Carinae itself maybe on the verge of a supernova explosion, X-ray images indicate that much of the Great Nebula in Carina has been a veritable supernova factory.

Tomorrow’s picture: opera of the planets

船底座星云
影像提供与版权: Ignacio Javier Diaz Bobillo

说明: 在银河系最明亮的区域之一，有个拥有许多怪异天体的星云。 NGC 3372又名为船底座星云，是许多大质量恒星和多变星云的家园。举例来说，这幅影像中右方最明亮的天体名为锁孔星云 (NGC 3324)，它的内部就有数颗大质量恒星。此图所呈现的完整船底座星云，位在南天的船底座方向，大小超过300光年，距离则约为7,500光年远。此星云内最活跃的恒星海山二，曾是1830年代天空最明亮的恒星之一，不过此后已大幅度变暗。除了海山二可能即将发生超新星爆炸之外，X射线波段影像亦显示大部分的船底座星云，都曾经是超新星工厂。

明日的图片: opera of the planets