NASA | Missions Take an Unparalleled Look into Superstar Eta Carinae

The video explores the Eta Carinae system, focusing on its massive stars and their interactions. A significant eruption in the 19th century created a visible nebula. The system consists of two stars, with the smaller being 30 times the sun's mass and the larger 90 times. Their orbits are highly eccentric, leading to periodic close approaches called periastron. During these events, the stars' stellar winds collide, producing X-rays that vary over time. Observations and models reveal complex interactions, including finger-like protrusions in the gas. Hubble images show a crab-like structure influenced by UV light. Eta Carinae serves as a key study object for colliding wind binaries.

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