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 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.
