Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene in fake colors - NGC 3372 Carina nebula in...

Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene in fake colors - NGC 3372 Carina nebula in narrow band - The nebula of the Carene is located about 8000 years - light from Earth. It is home to many hot stars, including the massive star Eta Carinae in the centre of the nebula. Image obtained by the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope of Siding Spring through 3 different filters that highlight oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur. Although no bright naked - eye stars are associated with the Carina nebula now, 150 years ago there blazed forth here one of the most unusual and peculiar stars ever seen. The star is known as Eta Carinae and for a few months in 1843 it was the second or third brightest star in the sky. Since then it has faded and is today about 1000 times fainter than it was at its brightest as the nebula it created during its outburst has cooled and become opaque. The whole region around Eta Carinae is rich in hot stars of which Eta is an extreme example and it is their combined radiation that produces the spectacular Carina nebula that dominates this picture. The nebula and its peculiar star are about 8000 light years away