Kawarau Astronomy Picture of the Week

(KAPOW) 

The Tarantula Nebula is an intense region of star formation located in the Large Magellanic Cloud  150000 light years from Earth.  It is the only star formation region outside our own galaxy visible to the naked eye.  It is so intrinsically bright, if it was located at the same distance as the Orion nebula it would be bright enough to create shadows at night.  

 

 

Bright Antimony Aurora Australis of the Month

(BAAAM)

Even the first quarter moon can't drown out this Kp=4 aurora imaged at Antimony on the night of November 9.   The Large Magellanic Cloud (with the Tarantula nebula in the lower left) is visible over the observatry, with the Southern Cross and Pointers region of the Milky Way just visible over Mt Rosa, shining through the aurora.