Around the Tarantula nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud
author: Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images/Novapix
reference: a-neb20-70018
Image Size 300 DPI: 40 * 51 cm
Known as the Tarantula Nebula for its spidery appearance, the 30 Doradus complex is a monstrous stellar factory. It is the largest emission nebula in the sky, and can be seen far down in the southern sky at a distance of about 170,000 light-years, in the southern constellation Dorado. It is part of one of the Milky Way's neighbouring galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Tarantula Nebula contains some of the most massive stars known.