Region of Eta Carinae NGC 3372

NGC 3372 Emission Nebulae in Eta Carinae
Sketch by Serge Viellard, commentary by Frank McCabe

Last month (March 2009) Serge Vieillard packed up his new 16″ telescope and flew off to the African country of Namibia in the southern hemisphere. One of the remarkable objects he sketched is NGC 3372 which is the bright gas cloud and stellar region of Eta Carinae. Using an OIII filter and a 22 mm Nagler eyepiece this object took up several eyepiece fields of view. Serge described the view as a “fine rug of stars and gas”. During the course of the night of observing and sketching he returned again and again to the region for more looks. You may agree this is a remarkable sketch of a beautiful sight.