New Hubble Image Shows Tarantula Nebula in Infrared Light
Posted on January 9, 2014
This new Hubble image shows the Tarantula Nebula in infrared light. The nebula (also called 30 Doradus) is home to numerous star clusters. There are over 800,000 stars and protostars in the nebula. It also features glowing gas and dark dust. The nebula is located over 170,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. You can view a larger version of the above image here on hubblesite.org.
Astronomers are exploring and mapping the nebula as part of the Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project. The 30 Doradus Nebula is also the focus of an upcoming eBook about stellar evolution aimed at children with visual impairments. The ebook, Reach for the Stars: Touch, Look, Listen, Learn, will available in Apple's iBook store to download for free on iPads in the near future. You can read more about it here.
