The Eta Carinae Nebula

Imaged from Sydney, Australia on 4, 10 and 14 April 2013 using my new STL11000M camera and Tak FSQ106N.

The Carina Nebula (also known as the Great Nebula in Carina, the Eta Carinae Nebula, NGC 3372, or Caldwell 92, as well as the Grand Nebula) is a large bright nebula that has within its boundaries several related open clusters of stars.

Eta Carinae and HD 93129A, two of the most massive and luminous stars in our Milky Way galaxy, are among them. The nebula lies at an estimated distance between 6,500 and 10,000 light years from Earth. It appears in the constellation of Carina, and is located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm. The nebula contains multiple O-type stars.

The nebula is one of the largest diffuse nebulae in our skies. Although it is some four times as large and even brighter than the famous Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is much less well known, due to its location in the southern sky. It was discovered by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751–52 from the Cape of Good Hope.



50 minutes each RGB and 2 hours Luminence