This frames the southern Milky Way from Canis Major and its bright star Sirius at top, to Carina and its bright star Canopus at bottom. Sirius and Canopus are the first and second brightest stars in the night sky, respectively. The major feature here is the massive Gum Nebula, perhaps a remnant from a nearby (1500 light years away) but ancient supernova. Or it might be a more normal emission nebula created as part of star formation and stellar winds. Its 36º-wide extent sprawls across Puppis (just below Canis Major) and Vela (to the left of Canopus). It was discovered by Australian astronomer

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