Nebulae & clusters · Star-forming nebula
Tarantula Nebula
160,000 light-years · Light crosses it in 1,000 years
- Across
- 1,000 light-years
- Vs Earth
- 1,000 light-years across
Open Tarantula Nebula in Cosmic Scale
In the app, Tarantula Nebula is part of the Beyond pack.
About
The Tarantula Nebula, in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is the largest and most active stellar nursery near us. At its heart is the cluster R136, home of R136a1, the most massive star known. Its size depends on where its faint edges are drawn — estimates run from about 650 to over 1,800 light-years.
The biggest, brightest stellar nursery near us; at Orion's distance it would cast shadows.
At a glance
| Distance | 160,000 light-years |
|---|---|
| Size | About 1,000 light-years |
| Galaxy | Large Magellanic Cloud |
| Heart | The R136 cluster |
Did you know
- If it were as close as the Orion Nebula, it would cast shadows on Earth.
- Supernova 1987A, the closest seen since the invention of the telescope, went off on its outskirts.
- It is visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere, despite lying in another galaxy.
Real photo
- The Tarantula Nebula in infrared, James Webb Space Telescope — NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI (CC BY 4.0) · source