NGC 3324 - Gabriella Mistral Nebula

NGC 3324 / IC 2599 / Gabriela Mistral Nebula is an emission nebula (HII region) excited by an open star cluster (OCL 819) in its center. It is in the constellation Carina and located northwest of the Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372). The nebula lies at a distance of 7,560 ly (2,317 pc) from Earth. IC2599 is associated with the open cluster NGC 3324. A rich deposit of gas and dust in the NGC 3324 region fuelled a burst of starbirth millions of years ago and led to the creation of several extremely massive and very hot stars. The intense ultraviolet radiation from these hot young stars causes the gas cloud to glow and has carved out a cavity in the surrounding gas and dust. In fact the stars are slowly eroding the gas cloud away. NGC 3324 was first catalogued by James Dunlop in 1826.

Ngc 3244 The two are often confused as a single object, and together have been nicknamed the "Gabriela Mistral Nebula" due to its resemblance to the Chilean poet.