APOD
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.
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 featured image , taken in 1996, brought 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 .
Free APOD Lectures: Editor to Speak in January in Philadelphia and New York City
| Date | December 27, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Image Credit: J. Morse ( Arizona State U. ), K. Davidson ( U. Minnesota ) et al., WFPC2 , HST , NASA |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |