Map of the Universe

Carina Nebula

Nebula · Interstellar clouds in the constellation Carina

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Carina Nebula
Picture: Harel Boren, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

About the Carina Nebula

The Carina Nebula is about 8,480 light-years from the Sun, so the light we see from it left about 8,480 years ago.

It is 25,719 light-years from the centre of the Milky Way.

The map lists it as a nebula and shows it among the stars around the Sun, drawn on the plane of the Milky Way.

One of the largest star-forming regions in the Galaxy; hosts the very massive star Eta Carinae.

Key numbers

Distance8,480 light-years (2,600 pc)
Distance from the Galactic centre25,719 light-years
Galactic coordinatesl = 287.70°, b = -0.80°
Sizeabout 460 light-years across

Where it is

Its place in the universe, from the inside out: Milky Way › Local Group › Virgo Supercluster › Laniakea Supercluster › Observable universe.

Zoom out to see it in context: Local Arm, a view about 12,000 light-years across.

From Wikipedia

The Carina Nebula or Eta Carinae Nebula is a large, complex area of bright and dark nebulosity in the constellation Carina, located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. Alternatively, it is known as NGC 3372 or the Great Carina Nebula.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Carina Nebula, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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