Which constellation contains the Tarantula Nebula?

The Tarantula Nebula is in the constellation Dorado. Also called 30 Doradus and NGC 2070, it is a vast H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way visible mainly from the Southern Hemisphere.

This nebula is not a single star or ordinary planetary nebula. It is an enormous star-forming complex filled with ionized hydrogen, young massive stars, stellar winds, and dense gas. Its web-like appearance in photographs inspired the name “Tarantula,” while its older astronomical designation, 30 Doradus, reflects its position in the Dorado region of the sky.

Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille observed it during his 1751–1753 expedition to the Cape of Good Hope. Johann Bode later included it in his 1801 star atlas under “Xiphias or Dorado.” A common mix-up is placing it in Tucana because that constellation lies nearby and contains the Small Magellanic Cloud; the Tarantula belongs to Dorado and the Large Magellanic Cloud.