The Outburst Clouds of Star AG Car
Explanation:
What created these unusual clouds?
At the center of this
2021 Hubble image sits
AG Carinae,
a supergiant star located about 20,000 light-years away
in the southern constellation
Carina.
The star's emitted power is over a million times that of the Sun, making
AG Carinae
one of the most luminous stars in our
Milky Way galaxy.
AG Carinae and its neighbor
Eta Carinae
belong to the scarce
Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) class of stars, known for their rare but
violent
eruptions.
The nebula that surrounds
AG Car is interpreted as a remnant of one or more such
outbursts.
This nebula measures 5
light-years across,
is estimated to contain about 10
solar masses of gas,
and to be at least 10,000 years old.
This Hubble image, taken to commemorate
Hubble's 31st
launch
anniversary,
is the first to capture the whole nebula, offering a
new perspective on its structure and dust content.
The LBVs
represent a late and
short stage
in the lives of some
supergiant stars,
but explaining their restlessness remains a
challenge
to
humanity's understanding of
how massive stars work.
Your questions answered:
Tonight's
Blood Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse
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.
