The Keyhole Nebula Near Eta Carinae

Explanation: The dark dusty Keyhole Nebula gets its name from its unusual shape. Designated NGC 3324, the Keyhole Nebula is a smaller region superposed on the bright Eta Carina Nebula . The Eta Carina Nebula is the largest nebula in angular extent on the sky, larger than the famous Orion Nebula , but its southerly location makes it less familiar to Northern Hemisphere skywatchers. The star Eta Carinae itself is extremely variable and has faded in a mere 150 years - formerly one of the brightest in the sky it is now invisible without a telescope. The nebula created by the star's 19th century outburst has been photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope .

Latest Comet Hyakutake images: APOD Hyakutake Archive , JPL , Fayetteville Observer-Times , NASA's Night of the Comet , ICSTARS , Jerry Lodriguss , ScienceWeb , Crni Vrh Obs. , Cent. Mich. U.