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Thousands of young stars within the giant nebula NGC 3603, one of the most massive star clusters in our galaxy. Located 20,000 light-years away, NGC 3603 is a prominent star-forming region in the Carina spiral arm of the Milky Way. Powerful ultraviolet radiation and fast winds from the bluest and hottest stars have created a bubble around the cluster. Moving into the surrounding nebula, this torrent of radiation sculpted the tall, dark stalks of dense gas a few light-years tall which act as incubators for new stars. The nebula was first discovered by Sir John Herschel in 1834.

Credit: NASA, STScI/AURA-ESA/Hubble Heritage Collaboration.