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Star Cluster R136

A dense cluster of blue stars surrounded by clouds of gas and dust.
The image shows the central region of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The young and dense star cluster R136 can be seen at the lower right of the image. This cluster contains hundreds of young, blue stars, among them the most massive stars detected in the universe so far. Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope were able to conduct a detailed imaging and spectroscopic study of the central and most dense region of this cluster. Here they found nine stars with masses greater than 100 times the mass of the sun. The cluster is located 170,000 light-years away from Earth.

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    05h 38m 42.4s
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    -69° 6' 3.35"
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Dorado
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    Approximately 170,000 light-years (52,000 parsecs)
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    R136, central stars in NGC 2070 star cluster, Tarantula Nebula
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Star Cluster, Starburst Region
  • Release Date
    March 17, 2016
  • Science Release
    Hubble Unveils Monster Stars
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, and P. Crowther (University of Sheffield)

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Details

Last Updated
Feb 24, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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