Tarantula Nebula

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Observation data: J2000 epoch
Tarantula Nebula
The Tarantula Nebula taken by the Spitzer space telescope
Type	Emission
Right ascension	05^h 38^m 38^s^[1]
Declination	-69° 05.7′^[1]
Distance	179 kly (49 kpc)^[2]
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]
See also: Diffuse nebula, Lists of nebulae
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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.

Central region of the Tarantula Nebula — a mosaic of 15 Hubble images. Credit: NASA/ESA.

The Tarantula Nebula has an apparent magnitude of 8. Considering its distance of about 160,000 light years, this is an extremely luminous object. Its luminosity is so bright 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. 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 - R136a - that produces most of the energy that makes the nebula visible.

The closest supernova since the invention of the telescope, Supernova 1987A, occurred in the outskirts of the Tarantula Nebula.

See also the star cluster in Tarantula catalogued as Hodge 301.