Tarantula Nebula

Because the pressure from newly formed sunlight will do that.

Anyhow, when we look at these things, we say, "Hey, what does that look like? Hey, that looks like a tarantula." We have a Tarantula Nebula.

Hey, that looks like a ring.

That's a Ring Nebula.

[laughs] These are official names of things.

You could look these up.

The Ring Nebula, the Tarantula Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, the Owl Nebula.

Something that looks like two eyes, and you...

Okay.

And then inside the Magellanic Cloud is something really cool, the Tarantula Nebula.

Okay.

Ah, yes, that's an absolute favourite of astronomers.

What is the Tarantula Nebula? It's

epic, right? So it actually is the largest and brightest star forming region in our sort of local area.

It's also home to some of the hottest and most massive stars known.

Because, I mean, as you said, if it's as far away as the Orion Nebula, by definition, the Orion Nebula is as far away as the Orion Nebula, and you can cover it up with, like, the pinky nail on your finger.

Mm.

It's the Tarantula Nebula

What a name

Yeah, very appropriate for the spooky Halloween season this month.

I forget Halloween's in October.

Yeah.

What is the Tarantula Nebula?

Uh, yeah, so the Tarantula Nebula is this, uh, enormous star-forming region.

Because it has news that's local, relevant, and kid appropriate, and encourages us to have these conversations at the kitchen table.

And so I said, "Hey, I want news locally." It gave us news about safer e-bike rules, that there's a new telescope observation in the Tarantula Nebula, and that the Russia-Ukraine, um, conflict continues.

And then it has these great questions.

"Talk at the table.