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IC2599, NGC3324, NGC3293 north of Eta Carina nebula


IC2599, NGC3324, NGC3293

Object name
IC2599, NGC3324, NGC3293

Constellation: Carina
Distance: 7500 million light years
Imaged by Jean-Yves Beninger from Warrunbungle National Park, Australia
on 28,29 January and 4, 16 and 24 February 2026

Equipment:
Astro-Physics Mach1
Astro-Physics AP130 GTX Grand Turismo with Quad TCC 588mm
Camera Zwo ASI 2600MM pixel size 3.76µ
Filters H, O, R, G, B,

HOO image for the nebula and RGB image for the stars

Description:

NGC 3324 is a young open cluster embedded in glowing gas at the edge of the Carina Nebula, about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Carina. It is an active star-forming region where intense radiation from massive newborn stars sculpts towering walls of gas and dust in the IC2599 bright emission nebula.

NGC 3293, also in the constellation Carina, is a bright open cluster about 8,000 light-years away. Only around 10 million years old, it contains many hot blue stars and a few evolved red supergiants. Sometimes called the “Gem Cluster,” it sparkles beautifully in the top right of the centre of the image.