Astronomy Picture of the Day 4-28-02

NASA ^ | 4-28-02 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2002 April 28

Doomed Star Eta Carinae
Credit: J. Morse (U. Colorado), K. Davidson (U. Minnesota) et al., WFPC2, HST, NASA

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?

[petuniasevan]

Eta Carinae is a fascinating star. What will it do tomorrow (or this century)?

[petuniasevan]

APOD PING!

[leadpenny]

Checking around the links in the narrative, I find that it is about 9000 light years distant. It hurts my head when I think about it, but the anticipated explosion could've happened before stonehenge was constructed and we just haven't seen it yet.

It's ponderous, I tell you, ponderous. (:-|

[Vigilantcitizen]

Thanks for the ping, petuniaseven. Astronomy is fascinating.

My fiancee and I love to go camping in the Chattahoochie National Forest, located in the North Georgia Mountains.

Our tent's ceiling is mesh screen, some nights you have to put on the rain fly cause the stars are so bright they keep you up.

Dear leadpenny,

Here is a goody's powder for that headache!

[aomagrat]

Amazing!

[fnord]

marvelous picture ... thanks for the daily info; it is so educational.

[leadpenny]

Thanks for the Goody's.

BTW, that's what that is over my head in #3 . . . a rain fly. Some would say it's made of tinfoil.

Don't know why but your tale of the Chattahoochie reminds me of one of Burt Lancasters's best . . Local Hero.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Haven't you heard? Tin foil exposure causes alzheimers. < ; ' )

[RightWhale]

If this blows you may all have to move to Alaska.

[2Trievers]

Move over RW ... I'm on my way! Exploding star or not!

Thanks 'tunia ... absolutely wonderful! &;-)