News Release Archive:

News Release 7 of 149

February 15, 2012 01:00 PM (EST)

News Release Number: STScI-2012-12

Astronomers Watch Delayed Broadcast of a Powerful Stellar Eruption

Technical facts about this news release:

About the Object

Object Name:	Eta Carinae (Eta Car) Light Echo
Object Description:	Light Echo Caused by the Massive/Variable Star Eta Car
Position (J2000):	R.A. 10h 44m 12s.127 Dec. -60° 16' 01".69
Constellation:	Carina
Distance:	7,500 light-years (2,300 parsecs)

About the Data

Note:

The science team studying the Eta Car light echo was led by A. Rest (STScI).The color image (below left) of a portion of the Carina Nebula was taken with the CTIO Curtis Schmidt telescope on February 25, 2000. The filter and color assignments are as follows: oxygen (blue), hydrogen (green), and sulfur (red). The single-filter images of the light echo (below right) were taken in 2003, 2010, and 2011 with the CTIO 4-m Blanco telescope.

About the Release

Image Credit:	NASA, NOAO, and A. Rest (STScI)
Acknowledgment:	NOAO, AURA, NSF, and N. Smith (University of Arizona)
Release Date:	February 15, 2012
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