Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024

NGC 3576, known as the Statue of Liberty Nebula, is an emission nebula located in the constellation Carina, approximately 9,000 light-years from Earth. Spanning about 100 light-years, it is an active star-forming region, containing several young and massive star clusters. The young, massive stars emit intense ultraviolet radiation, ionizing the surrounding gas and causing the nebula to glow. Observed by ground-based and space telescopes, such as the Hubble, NGC 3576 is visible to amateur telescopes in the southern hemisphere. Studying this nebula helps to understand star formation processes and the interaction between young stars and the interstellar medium.