TheTarantula Nebula (also known as30 Doradus) is a largeH II region in theLarge Magellanic Cloud (LMC), forming its south-east corner (fromEarth's perspective).
The Tarantula Nebula was observed byNicolas-Louis de Lacaille during an expedition to the Cape of Good Hope between 1751 and 1753. He cataloged it as the second of the "Nebulae of the First Class", "Nebulosities not accompanied by any star visible in the telescope of two feet". It was described as a diffuse nebula 20' across.[5]
Johann Bode included the Tarantula in his 1801Uranographia star atlas and listed it in the accompanyingAllgemeine Beschreibung und Nachweisung der Gestirne catalog as number 30 in the constellation "Xiphias or Dorado". Instead of being given a stellar magnitude, it was noted to be nebulous.[6]
The name Tarantula Nebula arose in the mid-20th century from its appearance in deep photographic exposures.[7]
30 Doradus has often been treated as the designation of a star,[8][9] or of the central star clusterNGC 2070,[10] but is now generally treated as referring to the whole nebula area of the Tarantula Nebula.[11][12]
It is also one of thelargest H II regions in theLocal Group with an estimated diameter around 200 to 570pc (650 to 1860 light years),[2][3] and also because of its very large size, it is sometimes described as the largest. However, other H II regions such asNGC 604, which is in theTriangulum Galaxy, could be larger.[3] The nebula resides on the leading edge of the LMC whereram pressure stripping, and the compression of theinterstellar medium likely resulting from this, is at a maximum.
30 Doradus has at its centre the star clusterNGC 2070 which includes the compact concentration ofstars known asR136[14] that produces most of the energy that makes the nebula visible. The estimated mass of the cluster is 450,000solar masses, suggesting it will likely become aglobular cluster in the future.[15] In addition to NGC 2070, the Tarantula Nebula contains several otherstar clusters including the much olderHodge 301. The most massive stars of Hodge 301 have already exploded insupernovae.[16]
Anx-ray quietblack hole was discovered in the Tarantula Nebula, the first outside of theMilky Way Galaxy that does not radiate strongly. The black hole has a mass of at least 9 solar masses and is in a circular orbit with its 25 solar massblue giant companionVFTS 243.[20]
^abcdefg"Results for Tarantula Nebula".SEDS Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. Retrieved2007-05-08.30 Doradus .. 49 kpc +- 3 kpc
^abcLebouteiller, V.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Brandl, B.; Whelan, D. G.; et al. (June 2008). "Chemical Composition and Mixing in Giant H II Regions: NGC 3603, 30 Doradus, and N66".The Astrophysical Journal.680 (1):398–419.arXiv:0710.4549.Bibcode:2008ApJ...680..398L.doi:10.1086/587503.S2CID16924851.
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