Statue of Liberty

NGC 3576 is a emission nebula in the Sagittarius arm of the galaxy a few thousand light years away from the Eta Carina nebula. It is approximately 100 light years across and 9000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by  John Frederick William Herschel on 16 March 1834.

A popular nickname is "The Statue of Liberty Nebula" because of the distinctive shape in the middle of the nebula.

The complex shapes within the nebula are produced by the young stars that form inside the nebula’s clouds. The strong stellar winds from the embedded massive stars carve the surrounding clouds and filaments, producing the nebula’s unique appearance. The intense ultraviolet radiation of the young stars energises the clouds of hydrogen, sulphur and oxygen, making them glow.