A Mysterious Nebula
NASA, ESA, The Hubble Heritage Team
Day 8 of the 2024 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: a mysterious nebula. Details of a complex structure within the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) are revealed by this image of the Keyhole Nebula, obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope. The picture is dominated by a large, approximately circular feature, which is part of the Keyhole Nebula. This region, about 8,000 light-years from Earth, is located adjacent to the famous explosive variable star Eta Carinae, which lies just outside the field of view toward the upper right.
See the full advent calendar here, where a new image will be revealed each day until December 25.