Doomed Star Eta Carinae
Explanation:
Eta Carinae may be about to explode.
But no one knows when - it may be
next year, it may be one million years from now.
Eta Carinae's mass - about
100 times greater than our
Sun -
makes it an excellent candidate for a full blown
supernova.
Historical records do show that about 150 years
ago
Eta Carinae underwent an unusual outburst
that made it one of the
brightest stars in the
southern sky.
Eta Carinae,
in the
Keyhole Nebula, is
the only star currently
thought to emit natural LASER light.
This
image,
taken in 1996, resulted from sophisticated
image-processing procedures designed to bring out new details in the
unusual nebula that surrounds
this
rogue star.
Now clearly visible are two
distinct lobes, a
hot central region, and strange radial streaks.
The lobes are filled with lanes of gas and
dust which absorb the blue and
ultraviolet light emitted near the center.
The streaks remain unexplained.
Will these clues tell us how the nebula was formed?
Will they better indicate when
Eta Carinae will explode?
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
