170 Years Ago, Eta Carinae Erupted Dramatically. Astronomers Now Think They Know Why

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universetoday.com : 170 Years Ago, Eta Carinae Erupted Dramatically. Astronomers Now Think They Know Why

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Based on this data, the team hypothesized that the eruption may have been triggered by a prolonged battle between three stars, which destroyed one star and left the other two in a binary system. This battle may have culminated with a violent explosion when Eta Carinae devoured one of its two companions, sending more than 10 Solar masses into space. This ejected mass created the gigantic bipolar nebula (aka. “the Homunculus Nebula”) which is seen today.
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Eta Carinae, one of the most massive stars known and one of the brightest in the night sky. Credit: NASA