Eta Carinae (IMAGE)

University of California - Santa Barbara

Eta Carinae

Caption

This is a Hubble Space Telescope image of the massive binary star system Eta Carinae taken in 1995. The pair of stars is hidden, but give off the white-blue glow at the center of the image. The hourglass shape is due to two huge lobes of gas expanding outward, a product of the mid-1800s Great Eruption that was studied as a light echo in Rest, et al.

Credit

Jon Morse (University of Colorado), and NASA

Usage Restrictions

None

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.