                APOD: 2017 November 16 - The Tarantula Nebula

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                               2017 November 16
                                      [2]
                            The Tarantula Nebula
            Image Credit & Copyright [3] : Ignacio Diaz Bobillo [4]

Explanation: The Tarantula Nebula [5]  is more than a thousand light-years in
diameter, a giant star forming region within nearby satellite galaxy the Large
Magellanic Cloud [6] , about 180 thousand light-years away. The largest, most
violent star forming region known in the whole Local Group of galaxies, the
cosmic arachnid sprawls across this spectacular view [7] composed with
narrowband data centered on emission from ionized hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
Within the Tarantula [8]  (NGC 2070), intense radiation, stellar winds and
supernova shocks from the central young cluster of massive stars, cataloged as
R136 [9] , energize the nebular glow and shape the spidery filaments. Around
the Tarantula [10]  are other star forming regions with young star clusters,
filaments, and blown-out bubble-shaped [11]  clouds. In fact, the frame
includes the site of the closest supernova in modern times, SN 1987A [12] ,
right of center. The rich field of view spans about 1 degree or 2 full moons,
in the southern constellation Dorado [13] . But were the Tarantula Nebula
closer, say 1,500 light-years distant like the local star forming Orion Nebula
[14] , it would take up half the sky.

                       Watch: Leonid Meteor Shower [15]
                  Tomorrow's picture: November Fireball [16]

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Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1711/Tarantula_bicolor_Bobillo.jpg
  [3] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [4] http://www.pampaskies.com/gallery3/index.php
  [5] http://messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n2070.html
  [6] ap171013.html
  [7] http://www.pampaskies.com/gallery3/Deep-Space-Objects/ Tarantula_bicolor
  [8] http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/01/ image/c/
  [9] ap010730.html
  [10] image/1602/Tarantula-HST-ESO-annotated1800.jpg
  [11] ap080327.html
  [12] http://heritage.stsci.edu/1999/04/supplemental.html
  [13] http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/dor/
  [14] ap151104.html
  [15] http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/
everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower
  [16] ap171116.html
  [17] ap171115.html
  [18] archivepix.html
  [19] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [20] lib/aptree.html
  [21] http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
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  [24] lib/edlinks.html
  [25] lib/about_apod.html
  [26] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=171116
  [27] ap171117.html
  [28] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [29] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [30] http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
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  [32] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
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