The Region near NGC 3293, Carina

 This magnificent star-studded field in Carina contains "The Gem Cluster", NGC 3293, a very beautiful tight open cluster containing stars of various hues (middle left), part of NGC 3372, The Eta Carina Nebula, showing much structure (to right) and the roughly hemispherical NGC 3324, which appears as an extension of NGC3372, in the middle. The yellow star lower left is 5th mag r Carinae.

NGC 3293 (distance approx 8,500 lys and roughly 10 million years old) contains around 50 stars of mag. 6-13 including a bright orange star as showpiece and appears to be illuminating a thin sliver of nebulosity to the left. NGC 3324 (distance 7,500 ly) is illuminated by many hot stars just a few million years old imbedded in the remaining gas and dust.