Eta Carinae Nebula
NGC 3372
Properties
Position & Identifiers
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About Eta Carinae Nebula
Description
The Eta Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372) is one of the largest and brightest nebulae in the sky, located about 8,500 light-years away in Carina. Spanning over 2 degrees, it is four times the size and many times brighter than the Orion Nebula, and contains the massive, unstable star Eta Carinae.
Observing Tips
Visible to the naked eye as a bright patch in the Milky Way. Binoculars and wide-field telescopes reveal an extraordinary landscape of bright and dark nebulosity, including the Keyhole Nebula near Eta Carinae. An OIII or UHC filter enhances the structure. A southern hemisphere showpiece, best in late summer and autumn.
History
First noted by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751. Eta Carinae itself underwent the Great Eruption of 1837-1856, briefly becoming the second brightest star in the sky. The resulting Homunculus Nebula is visible in large amateur telescopes.
Fun Facts
Eta Carinae is one of the most massive stars known (about 100 solar masses) and will likely explode as a supernova or hypernova in the astronomically near future. The Carina Nebula contains the star cluster Trumpler 14, one of the youngest and most massive clusters in the Milky Way.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Harel Boren. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026