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NGC 3372, better known and referred to as the Eta carina nebula, is one of the most iconic objects in the Southern Hemisphere (if not of the whole sky). The star Eta carina itself (class B0), located in the center of the nebula, is a giant variable blue star (6.2-11.1) and is surrounded by the Homunculus Nebula (not visible in this image, but there is a wonderful image from the HST).
NGC 3372 is a bright (visible with the naked eye) and very large nebula. It is one of the largest HII regions in the Milky Way and four times as large as the better known Orion Nebula (M42). The small region surrounding Eta Carina is commonly named the Keyhole Nebula.
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): NGC 3372, Caldwell 92, Eta Carina nebula, Keyhole Nebula
Type: Emission Nebula
RA: 10h 43m 48s
Dec: -59º 51’ 56”
Constellation: Carina
Size (arcmin): 120×120
Magnitude: +1
Distance: 10,000 ly
Image
Date: 2014-03-30
Location: SSO near Coonabarabran, NSW Australia
Size (arcmin): 235×152
Telescope: Takahashi FSQ 106 f/5
Camera: SBIG STL11002M (4008x2672pix)
Guiding: Yes, but not recorded
Total exposure: 80 min (L: 20min; RGB: 60 min)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2016 and PixInsight