Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus (NGC 2070)

NGC 2070
NGC 2070: ASA 12" Astrograph @ f/3.6 (Newton); FLI Microline 16200; ASA DDM85; 10 x 420s RGB Bin 1x1 (total 1h 10m); Southern Sky Guest Farm TIVOLI, Namibia; © 4 Sep 2016 Michael Steffen [709]
NGC 2070
NGC 2070: Emission nebula in the Large Magellan Cloud; Takahashi TOA 150/1100 APO refractor at f/5.6 (TOA-645 reducer); SBIG STL-11000M; Astro-Physics 1200GTO; 27x5 min; Namibia, Tivoli Southern Sky Guest Farm, 1360 m ASL; © 28.-31. 8. 2016 Manuel Jung [45]
Large Magellan Cloud
Large Magellan Cloud: Neighbour galaxy in Dorado; Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 135 mm f/2.0 ZE at f/2.8; Canon EOS 6Da; 14x5 min; Namibia, Tivoli Southern Sky Guest Farm, 1360 m ASL; © 28. 8. 2016 Manuel Jung [45]

History

French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille discovered this nebula in 1751-1752 during his expedition to the Cape of Good Hope. He listed it in his first list of « nebulae of the first kind, or nebulosities that are not accompanied by any stars visible through a two-foot telescope» and compared it to the appearance of globular cluster NGC 104. [8]

In 1801 German Astronomer Johann Elert Bode listed this this nebula in the addendom to his Uranographia and gave it the stellar designation «30 Doradus» but stated, that it was nebulous. [714]

Scottish Astronomer James Dunlop made eight observations in 1826-1827 using his 9-inch reflecting telescope at his home in Parramatta (NSW) in Australia. He listed 30 Doradus as Δ 142 and wrote: «A pretty large ill-defined nebula, of an irregular branched figure, with a pretty bright small star in the south side of the centre, which gives it the appearance of a nucleus. This is resolvable into very minute stars. Figure 4. is a very good representation of the nebula resolved. (N.B. The 30 Doradus is surrounded by a number of nebulae of considerable magnitudes, nine or ten in number, with the 30 Doradus in the centre.)» [50]

30 Doradus
30 Doradus: Drawing by John Herschel, 29 November 1834, 18.3 inch reflector at Feldhausen Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa [11]

John Herschel observed the nebula from South Africa and listed the main part as h 2941. He wrote: «This is one of the most singular and extraordinary objects which the heavens present, and derives no small addition to its intrinsic interest from its situation, which is among the thickest of the nebulae and clustering groups of the greater Nubecula, of whose total area it occupies one-five hundredth part. For these reasons, as well as because its real nature has been completely misunderstood, and its magnified appearance so strangely misrepresented in the only figure which I am aware to have been made of it as to convey an entirely erroneous impression both of its form and structure; I have taken great pains to give as nearly as possible a perfect representation of it as it appeared in the twenty-feet reflector on a great many occasions, but more especially on the 29th November, 1834, when a 'very careful drawing' was made of it by the eye alone, unaided by any micrometrical measures; and on the 21st and 22nd December, 1835, when the nebula was worked in from the telescope on a 'skeleton' previously prepared by an approximate reduction of the micrometrical measures of its principle stars, forming a chart, with a system of triangles, for its reception and for that of minute stars not susceptible of micrometric measurement, or not considered as of sufficient importance to be so measured. This is the only mode in which correct monographs can be executed of nebulae of this kind which consist of complicated windings and ill-defined members obliterated by the smallest illumination of the field of view; and in which the small stars, when very numerous, can be mapped down with tolerable precision.» [11]

Physical Properties

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
NameRADecTypebMagvMagDimMDDreyer DescriptionIdentification, Remarks
NGC 203305 34 30.6-69 46 48OCL11.60.549.970Cl, in Nubec majorh (579); GC 1236; ESO 56-SC157; in LMC
NGC 203705 34 54.0-69 44 12OCL10.30.549.970Cl, in Nubec majorh (593); GC 1240; ESO 56-SC159; in N 2033
NGC 204205 36 09.6-68 55 25OCL9.89.6949.970Cl, vL, Ri, st 12…15h 2922; GC 1245; ESO 56-SC163; in LMC
NGC 204405 36 06.0-69 11 55OCL10.710.6249.970Cl, in Nubec majorh (608); GC 1246; ESO 56-SC165; in LMC
NGC 204805 35 55.4-69 38 58EN+*0.549.970vF, L, pmEh 2926; GC 1250; ESO 56-*N166; in LMC
NGC 205005 36 38.9-69 23 01OCL9.59.3149.970Cl + neb, mC, iF, st vSh 2928; GC 1252; ESO 56-SC170; in LMC
NGC 205505 37 03.0-69 25 54OCL8.58.40.649.970Cl, vL, Ri, st 10…15h 2931; GC 1256; ESO 56-SC171; in LMC
NGC 206005 37 51.6-69 10 23SNR9.79.649.970neb, no descrip, in Nub majh (642); GC 1261; ESO 57-EN1; in LMC
NGC 206905 38 40.0-69 00 18EN49.970F, L, Eh 2940; GC 1268; ESO 57-EN7; part of N 2070; in LMC
NGC 207005 38 42.5-69 06 03EN5.030 × 2049.970!!! vB, vL, loopedh 2941; GC 1269; ESO 57-EN6; Tarantula nebula (30 Dor); in LMC
NGC 207405 39 03.6-69 29 53EN8.549.970pB, pL, mE, 5 st invh 2942; GC 1272; ESO 57-EN8; in LMC, part of N 2070
NGC 207705 39 36.0-69 39 26EN15 × 1549.970F, R, p of D nebh 2947; GC 1275; ESO 57-EN9; in LMC
NGC 207805 39 39.3-69 44 38EN49.970neb, np of gr of 7h 2948; GC 1276; ESO 57-EN10; in N 2079 group; in LMC
NGC 207905 39 40.0-69 46 26EN49.970neb, sp of gr of 7h 2949; GC 1277; ESO 57-EN11; in LMC
NGC 208005 39 44.2-69 38 44EN49.970B, R, f of D nebh 2950; GC 1278; ESO 57-EN12; in LMC
NGC 208105 39 59.5-69 24 21OCL (OCL+EN)49.970Cl, vF, mC, st + nebh 2951; GC 1279; ESO 57-SC13; in LMC
NGC 208305 39 59.3-69 44 16EN49.970neb, nf of gr of 7h 2952; GC 1281; ESO 57-EN14; in N 2079 group; in LMC
NGC 208405 40 07.1-69 45 34EN49.970neb, sf of gr of 7h 2953; GC 1282; ESO 57-EN15; in N 2079 group; in LMC
NGC 208505 40 09.0-69 40 24EN49.970vF, R, * 10 v nrh 2954; GC 1283; ESO 57-EN16; in LMC
NGC 208605 40 13.0-69 40 05EN49.970B, pS, R, lbM, * 10 ph 2956; GC 1284; ESO 57-EN17; in LMC
NGC 208805 40 59.9-68 27 56OCL12.812.51.749.970vF, S, Rh 2955; GC 1286; ESO 57-SC20; in LMC
NGC 209105 40 58.1-69 26 14OCL12.412.11.749.970vF, S, mE, glbM, ? Dh 2957; GC 1289; ESO 57-SC21; in LMC
NGC 209205 41 22.1-69 13 27OCL1.249.970vF, pL, R, rrh 2962; GC 1290; ESO 57-SC22; in LMC
NGC 209305 41 49.8-68 55 17OCL11.911.61.749.970vF, S, Rh 2963; GC 1291; ESO 57-SC23; in LMC
NGC 209405 42 08.0-68 21 48OCL49.970vF, S, Rh 2959; GC 1292; ESO 57-SC26; in LMC
NGC 209605 42 17.9-68 27 31OCL11.811.31.249.970neb, no descrip, in Nub majorh (725); GC 1294; ESO 57-SC27; in LMC
NGC 209805 42 30.4-68 16 32OCL10.910.71.649.970globular, B, S, rrh 2965; GC 1297; ESO 57-SC28; in LMC
NGC 210005 42 09.1-69 12 43OCL9.62.849.970globular, B, pL, irrR, rrh 2966; GC 1298; ESO 57-SC25; in LMC
NGC 210205 42 20.6-69 29 14OCL11.4149.970neb, no descrip, in Nub majh (730); GC 1300; ESO 57-SC29; in LMC
NGC 210805 43 55.3-69 10 51OCL12.912.8249.970eF, pL, lEh 2970; GC 1306; ESO 57-SC33; in LMC
NGC 210905 44 23.0-68 32 52OCL12.612.2249.970F, pS, R, vglbMh 2972; GC 1307; ESO 57-SC34; in LMC
NGC 211305 45 24.6-69 46 27OCL (OCL+EN)12.31.849.970Cl, F, S, iF, vlC, rrh 2975; GC 1311; ESO 57-EN36; in LMC
NGC 211605 47 15.2-68 30 29OCL13.212.9149.970F, S, R, * 11 ph 2977; GC 1314; ESO 57-SC38; in LMC
NGC 211805 47 39.6-69 07 55OCL12.01.349.970globular, vB, vS, vsmbM, rrh 2979; GC 1316; ESO 57-SC39; in LMC

Finder Chart

The Tarantula Nebula can be found in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which northern part is located in the constellation Dorado and the southern part is in Mensa. Unfortunately it is not visible from Europe. On 18 December it in opposition with the Sun and is therefore highest in the sky at local midnight.

Dorado: Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus (NGC 2070)
Finder Chart Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus (NGC 2070)
never
08:52 | -25.9°
always
Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. Times are shown for timezone UTC, Latitude 46.7996°, Longitude 8.23225°, Horizon height 5°, Date 2025-07-26. [149, 160]

Visual Observation

635 mm Aperture: One could spend an eternity wandering around and following all glowing filaments and patches that spread out from the Tarantula Nebula into the Large Magellanic Cloud. It resembles a bit the well known Cirrus Nebula, but much larger and more complex. It also appears much brighter, although it is much further away in our neighbouring galaxy. Maybe that was also caused due to the low light pollution in Namibia. There at most, the zodiacal light after sunset or the rising Venus in the morning was a disturbance. — 25" f/4 Obession Dobsonian, Astrofarm Tivoli, Namibia, September 2023, Bernd Nies

Objects Within a Radius of 35°

References

  • [8] Sur les Étoiles Néebuleuses Du Ciel Austral; l'Abbe de la Caille; Mémoires de l'Académie Royale Des Sciences, 1755, page 194; gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k35533
  • [11] Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope ... : being the completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825; Herschel, John F. W.; London: published by Smith, Elder and Co., 1847; DOI:10.3931/e-rara-22242
  • [45] Astro-, Landschafts- und Reisefotografie sowie Teleskopbau; Manuel Jung; sternklar.ch
  • [50] VIII. A catalogue of nebulæ and clusters of stars in the southern hemisphere, observed at Paramatta in New South Wales, by James Dunlop, Esq. In a letter addressed to Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, Bart. K. C. B. late Governor of New South Wales. Presented to the Royal Society by John Frederick William Herschel, Esq. Vice President; James Dunlop; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 118, pages 113-151, published 1 January 1828; DOI:10.1098/rstl.1828.0010
  • [149] SkySafari 6 Pro, Simulation Curriculum; skysafariastronomy.com
  • [160] The STScI Digitized Sky Survey; archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/dss_form
  • [277] Historische Deep-Sky Kataloge; Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke; klima-luft.de/steinicke; 2021-02-17
  • [709] Astrophotography by Michael Steffen; skyphoto.ch
  • [714] Allgemeine Beschreibung und Nachweisung der Gestirne Nebst Verzeichniss der geraden Aufsteigung und Abweichung von 17240 Sternen, Doppelsternen, Nebelflecken und Sternhaufenzu dessen Uranographie gehörig; Johann Elert Bode; Selbstverlag, 1801; archive.org/details/bub_gb_NUlRAAAAcAAJ/page/n15/mode/2up