APOD: The Tarantula Nebula from SuperBIT (2023 Apr 27)

[APOD Robot]

The Tarantula Nebula from SuperBIT

Explanation: The Tarantula Nebula, also known as 30 Doradus, is more than a thousand light-years in diameter, a giant star forming region within nearby satellite galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud. About 160 thousand light-years away, it's the largest, most violent star forming region known in the whole Local Group of galaxies. The cosmic arachnid is near the center of this spectacular image taken during the flight of SuperBIT (Super Pressure Balloon Imaging Telescope), NASA's balloon-borne 0.5 meter telescope now floating near the edge of space. Within the well-studied Tarantula (NGC 2070), intense radiation, stellar winds and supernova shocks from the central young cluster of massive stars, cataloged as R136, energize the nebular glow and shape the spidery filaments. Around the Tarantula are other star forming regions with young star clusters, filaments, and blown-out bubble-shaped clouds. SuperBIT's wide field of view spans over 2 degrees or 4 full moons in the southern constellation Dorado.

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[Ann]

The Tarantula Nebula from SuperBIT
Image Credit: SuperBIT, NASA

When I first saw this image, I was unimpressed. I was, like, come on, haven't we seen hundreds of pictures of the Tarantula Nebula? What's so special about this one?

But when I started searching for pictures that would do a better job of showing the Tarantula Nebula than the SuperBIT one, I was humbled.

What I found was closeups of the R136 region:

Closeup of the R 136a star cluster. Image credit: NASA/ESA/P. Crowther

---

'Medium closeup' of the R136 region by James Webb. Wait, is that bright nebula outline tarantula-shaped?

---

Then there were "full" images of the Tarantula that nevertheless left something to be desired (to me at least):

The Tarantula Nebula. The overall 'Tarantula shape' is not obvious to me. Credit: ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler, C. C. Thöne, C. Féron, and J.-E. Ovaldsen

---

The Tarantula Nebula. The 'Tarantula shape' is beautifully obvious, but the inner parts of the nebula are overexposed. Credit: D.R.

---

I really do recommend the sequence of images below, but of course it is always much easier to show things with several images rather than one:

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

So, okay! Today's APOD does a more than acceptable job of bringing out both the R136a star cluster, the bright pink nebulosity surrounding the great cluster and the outer faint tarantula-shaped nebula surrounding the bright central parts. On top of that, the colors are okay, although the green stars are not my favorites.

You did an okay job then, SuperBIT! Because photographing the Tarantula, even for professional telescopes, is harder than I had realized.

Ann

[daddyo]

Wow that telescope can float for 3 months, what a neat idea. I just watched a live presentation of a similar telescope that targeted the UV spectrum on short flights, which was said has hardly been imaged at all.

[AVAO]

...
"You did an okay job then, SuperBIT! Because photographing the Tarantula, even for professional telescopes, is harder than I had realized."

Ann

ThanX Ann

Well. For me, the question arises whether I really need a balloon for this too ,-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOHc4u5PwHY
https://www.vikaschander.com/ngc-2070-t ... la-nebula/

[Ann]

...
"You did an okay job then, SuperBIT! Because photographing the Tarantula, even for professional telescopes, is harder than I had realized."

Ann

ThanX Ann

Well. For me, the question arises whether I really need a balloon for this too ,-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOHc4u5PwHY
https://www.vikaschander.com/ngc-2070-t ... la-nebula/

Say what, AVAO? Were you involved in creating today's APOD?

Ann

[VictorBorun]

How come the brightest stars are the reddest?

SuperBIT_tarantula-.png (91.37 KiB) Viewed 3749 times

[Ann]

How come the brightest stars are the reddest?

Click to view full size image

This cluster is old enough that the most massive (and thus brightest) stars have turned into red giants.

R136a (the central cluster powering the entire Tarantula Nebula) is much younger. There are no red giants in it. But you can't tell the color of the stars of R136a in the APOD. That power cluster is nestled among the brightest strands of pink nebulosity and overwhelmed by the brilliant pink nebular strands in this image.

Ann

[VictorBorun]

I wonder if they used parachutes to send this APOD down to the ground.
It is not terabyte-heavy, but if it was among a terabyte-heavy panoram…

[VictorBorun]

How come the brightest stars are the reddest?

Click to view full size image

This cluster is old enough that the most massive (and thus brightest) stars have turned into red giants.

R136a (the central cluster powering the entire Tarantula Nebula) is much younger. There are no red giants in it. But you can't tell the color of the stars of R136a in the APOD. That power cluster is nestled among the brightest strands of pink nebulosity and overwhelmed by the brilliant pink nebular strands in this image.

Ann

so this is real. Wow

[Ann]

...
"You did an okay job then, SuperBIT! Because photographing the Tarantula, even for professional telescopes, is harder than I had realized."

Ann

ThanX Ann

Well. For me, the question arises whether I really need a balloon for this too ,-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOHc4u5PwHY
https://www.vikaschander.com/ngc-2070-t ... la-nebula/

I didn't check out your second link before I answered you. That picture by Vikas Chander is stunning!!

Again, I have to ask you, did you have anything to do with the SuperBIT/Tarantula Nebula APOD?

Ann

[Christian G.]

SuperBIT_tarantula_1024[1].png

The Tarantula Nebula from SuperBIT
Image Credit: SuperBIT, NASA

When I first saw this image, I was unimpressed. I was, like, come on, haven't we seen hundreds of pictures of the Tarantula Nebula? What's so special about this one?

But when I started searching for pictures that would do a better job of showing the Tarantula Nebula than the SuperBIT one, I was humbled.

What I found was closeups of the R136 region:

Closeup of the R 136a star cluster. Image credit: NASA/ESA/P. Crowther

---

'Medium closeup' of the R136 region by James Webb. Wait, is that bright nebula outline tarantula-shaped?

---

Then there were "full" images of the Tarantula that nevertheless left something to be desired (to me at least):

The Tarantula Nebula. The overall 'Tarantula shape' is not obvious to me. Credit: ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler, C. C. Thöne, C. Féron, and J.-E. Ovaldsen

---

The Tarantula Nebula. The 'Tarantula shape' is beautifully obvious, but the inner parts of the nebula are overexposed. Credit: D.R.

---

I really do recommend the sequence of images below, but of course it is always much easier to show things with several images rather than one:

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

So, okay! Today's APOD does a more than acceptable job of bringing out both the R136a star cluster, the bright pink nebulosity surrounding the great cluster and the outer faint tarantula-shaped nebula surrounding the bright central parts. On top of that, the colors are okay, although the green stars are not my favorites.

You did an okay job then, SuperBIT! Because photographing the Tarantula, even for professional telescopes, is harder than I had realized.

Ann

That center cluster is thought to contain one of the most massive and luminous stars known, R136a1, I wonder if it can be identified in those images.
(It's always fun to look at such images and be able to say "oh and this innocent-looking little star right here is five million times brighter than the sun!")

[Ann]

I really do recommend the sequence of images below, but of course it is always much easier to show things with several images rather than one:

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

Ann

That center cluster is thought to contain one of the most massive and luminous stars known, R136a1, I wonder if it can be identified in those images.
(It's always fun to look at such images and be able to say "oh and this innocent-looking little star right here is five million times brighter than the sun!")

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

A new near-infrared image of the R136 cluster, obtained at high resolution with the MAD adaptive optics instrument at ESO’s Very Large Telescope, provides unique details of its stellar content. At birth, the three brightest stars each weighed more than 150 times the mass of the Sun. The most massive star, known as R136a1 and located at the centre of the image, has been found to have a current mass of 265 times that of the Sun. It also has the highest luminosity, at some seven million times greater than the Sun. ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans - http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1030d/

---

Maybe you can match the rightmost panel in the "three-panel image" with the ESO closeup of R136Ia beside it (or, depending on your screen, below it)?

Ann

[Christian G.]

I really do recommend the sequence of images below, but of course it is always much easier to show things with several images rather than one:

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

Ann

That center cluster is thought to contain one of the most massive and luminous stars known, R136a1, I wonder if it can be identified in those images.
(It's always fun to look at such images and be able to say "oh and this innocent-looking little star right here is five million times brighter than the sun!")

Overview of the Tarantula Nebula and zooming in on R 136a. Credit: ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans

---

A new near-infrared image of the R136 cluster, obtained at high resolution with the MAD adaptive optics instrument at ESO’s Very Large Telescope, provides unique details of its stellar content. At birth, the three brightest stars each weighed more than 150 times the mass of the Sun. The most massive star, known as R136a1 and located at the centre of the image, has been found to have a current mass of 265 times that of the Sun. It also has the highest luminosity, at some seven million times greater than the Sun. ESO/P. Crowther/C.J. Evans - http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1030d/

---

Maybe you can match the rightmost panel in the "three-panel image" with the ESO closeup of R136Ia beside it (or, depending on your screen, below it)?

Ann

Yes, I believe I can see it now! Thanks for your help.

[VictorBorun]

That center cluster is thought to contain one of the most massive and luminous stars known, R136a1, I wonder if it can be identified in those images.
(It's always fun to look at such images and be able to say "oh and this innocent-looking little star right here is five million times brighter than the sun!")

Maybe you can match the rightmost panel in the "three-panel image" with the ESO closeup of R136Ia beside it (or, depending on your screen, below it)?
Ann

...

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2

[VictorBorun]

Sharpest image ever of R136a1, right at the centre of this image, resolving a close companion

...

Click to view full size image 1 or image 2