Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372)

About this Image

The Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) is a large bright nebula that has within its boundaries several related open clusters of 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.
Situated in the center of the image there is Eta Carinae, a highly luminous hypergiant star. Estimates of its mass range from 100 to 150 times the mass of the Sun, and its luminosity is about four million times that of the Sun.