Carina Nebula Panorama from Hubble


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 nebula. 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. The Keyhole
Nebula, visible left the center, houses several of the most massive stars known and has
also changed its appearance. The entire Carina Nebula spans over 300 light years and
lies about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation of Carina. Pictured above is the most
detailed image of the Carina Nebula ever taken. The controlled color image is a composite
of 48 high-resolution frames taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.