N157B is located 6 arcmin (~295 light-years) to the southwest of R136; separated from the Tarantula’s rich nebulosity by a broad, dark N-S patch. NGC 2060 is often used synonymously for the supernova remnant N157B which is the larger area of faint nebulosity and strong radio emission. The supernova occurred around 5,000 years ago from our point of view. The expanding remnant, mistily visible in the eyepiece, isn’t the only aftermath of the gargantuan explosion, for it also left behind a spinning pulsar, all that remains of the original star’s core. It was discovered in 1996 when E.V Gott, searching for a pulsar in the remnant of Supernova 1987A, serendipitously discovered the pulsar in nearby supernova remnant N157B. Named PSR J0537-6910, the pulsar is thus far the fastest spinning pulsar associated with a supernova remnant, with the stupefyingly fast rotation period of 16 milliseconds. It is a Crab-like supernova remnant, named for its spectacular prototype, and a typical SNR in this class appears as a patchy shell of hot gas with a contribution from an energetic pulsar at the centre. PSR J0537−6910 is also known as the Big Glitcher; indeed, it is the most prolific glitching pulsar known. In 1969, scientists noticed an abrupt and brief increase in the rotation rate of a pulsar. It was the birth of a puzzle: glitching pulsars. Pulsar glitches are sudden spin-up events, and while the exact cause of glitches is unknown, they are thought to be caused by an internal process within the pulsar. This differs from the steady decrease in the pulsar’s rotational frequency, which is caused by external processes. What makes PSR J0537−6910 even more extraordinary, is the predictability of when its glitches occur, which hasn’t been observed in other glitching pulsars, and may be unique to this pulsar. 

It really is incredible to observe this exquisite scene of a beautiful OB association coexisting with a SNR and its strange, glitching pulsar heart.

NGC 2060 is the sparkling centre piece. Its stars formed roughly 4 million to 6 million years ago, placing it intermediate in age between R136 and Hodge 301. Although NGC 2060 looks rather dull compared to R136 and is not as well-defined as Hodge 301, it houses some notable citizens. Its stars are no longer gravitationally bound to each other and will disperse in a few million years.

228x: The stars of NGC 2060 lie in a brightish, glowing, roundish patch of nebulosity, ~1.5′ in diameter. Ten mag 12-14 stars are resolved in the glow, among which is the mag 13.5 Wolf-Rayet star Brey 74a on the association’s northeastern side. The bloated-looking mag 12 “star” lying on the northern shores of NGC 2060 is another of the Cloud’s compact clusters – TLD 1 (TLD 1 = Brey 73). Hubble resolved the cluster into 11 components, including a Wolf-Rayet star. There is a small elongated dark region that runs NNW-SSE to the southwest of the association; this is a dense cloud of dust lying in front of it.

There is a tremendous contrast gain with the OIII filter; expanding to ~2.0′ in diameter, the nebulosity appears very uneven, with a slightly choppy look to it. It is brightest around NGC 2060, and it fades to a delicate and uneven nebulosity with soft edges that fade rapidly into the relative darkness around it.

Lying to the north of NGC 2060, VFTS 102 is a runaway blue supergiant. It is the fastest rotating massive O-type star known. It spins 100 times faster than the sun – at a dizzying pace of 600 kilometres per second at the equator, a rotational velocity so high that the star is approaching the point when it will be torn apart by centrifugal forces if it spins any faster. The centrifugal forces from this dizzying spin rate have flattened the star into an oblate shape and spun off a disk of hot plasma. It is also a pretty speedy runaway star – dashing away from its neighbouring stars at a velocity of about 30 kilometres per second. Astronomers believe that VFTS 102 was a companion of the now-pulsar star and was ejected at the time of the supernova explosion. This star may produce dramatic fireworks as it dies as such a rapidly rotating massive star is believed to be the progenitor of some of the brightest explosions in the universe: gamma-ray bursts.

The brilliant star VFTS 102. Compact cluster TLD 1 is also showcased in this glorious photo, to the northeast of VFTS 102. Credit: ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey