This image may not be used by or to promote the arms, nuclear power or tobacco industries or any religious organisation, or in any discriminatory way,


This image may not be used by or to promote the arms, nuclear power or tobacco industries or any religious organisation, or in any discriminatory way, or to imply the endorsement by ESO of any product, service or activity Tarantula nebula and its surroundings. The tarantula nebula, also known as 30 Doradus and NGC 2070, is at upper centre. It is an emission nebula that is nearly 1000 light years across. In July 2010 it was announced that the most massive star known to date had been found in the cluster R136, within the tarantula nebula. The star, named R136a1, has a mass 265 times that of the Sun. The tarantula nebula is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, in the constellation Doradus, 165,000 light years from Earth. Image taken by the ESO metre telescope at La Silla Observatory.


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