Colour rendering of Tarantula Nebula in LMC

This image is a composite of three narrow-band filter exposures of the famous Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus) in our closest neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The filters are centred on the 2.166 micron Br-gamma line of atomic hydrogen (blue); the 1.644 micron [FeII] line (green) and the 2.12 micron 1-0 S(1) line of molecular hydrogen (red). The colour coding reflects the ionization state of the gas. The scale is 0.26 arcsec/pixel and the field is 4.5x4.5 arcmin with North at the top and East to the left. (Colour composite by F. Selman).

Credit:

ESO / F. Selman

About the Image

Id:eso9805c
Type:Observation
Release date:29 January 1998
Related releases:eso9805
Size:544 x 544 px

About the Object

Name:30 Doradus, Tarantula Nebula
Type:Local Universe : Nebula
Distance:170000 light years
Constellation:Dorado
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
135.5 KB
Screensize JPEG
243.1 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
250.8 KB
1280x1024
350.1 KB
1600x1200
435.0 KB
1920x1200
461.1 KB
2048x1536
586.3 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):5 38 41.73
Position (Dec):-69° 5' 49.15"
Field of view:4.66 x 4.66 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
Br-gamma
2.166 μmNew Technology Telescope
SOFI
Infrared
Feiii
1.257 μmNew Technology Telescope
SOFI
Infrared
H2
2.12 μmNew Technology Telescope
SOFI