How many stars make up Eta Carinae?

two stars
One of the Milky Way’s most impressive star systems, about 8,000 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina. It probably consists of two stars, each of which is many times as massive as the Sun. The stars are surrounded by a thick, dusty nebula that makes it impossible to see one of the stars.

Is Eta Carinae a high mass star?

Eta Carinae is one of the most massive stars ever closely studied. Based upon different estimates of its size, if placed in the solar system, Eta Carinae would reach the orbit of Jupiter or even surpass it. Only around 10 stars in the entire galaxy have a higher mass than Eta Carinae.

Where is Eta Carinae on the HR diagram?

It is located in the expected region of the H-R diagram, it is evolved, and its pre-1830 variability looks like LBV eruptions.

Is Eta Carinae a main sequence star?

In 1843 Eta Carinae became the second brightest star in the night sky. The star grows rather quickly after being in the main sequence star becaus ethe mass of the star is so large that its burns through its fuel quickly.

What stage is Eta Carinae in?

Luminous blue variable
Eta Carinae

Is Eta Carinae the brightest star?

Its location at around 60°S in the far Southern Celestial Hemisphere means it cannot be seen by observers in Europe and much of North America. Located between Canopus and the Southern Cross, Eta Carinae is easily pinpointed as the brightest star within the large naked eye Carina Nebula.

Is Eta Carinae in the Milky Way?

Eta Carinae is found within the Carina Nebula, a giant star-forming region in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way. The nebula is a prominent naked eye object in the southern skies showing a complex mix of emission, reflection and dark nebulosity.

What type of star is Eta Carinae?

binary star system
In 2005 astronomers studying far-ultraviolet spectral observations of Eta Carinae made by spacecraft found that it is a binary star system with an orbital period of 5.54 years. Its A component has a temperature of about 15,000 K; its B component, about 35,000 K.

How big is the star Eta Carinae in light years?

Eta Carinae (η Carinae, abbreviated to η Car), formerly known as Eta Argus, is a stellar system containing at least two stars with a combined luminosity greater than five million times that of the Sun, located around 7,500 light-years (2,300 parsecs) distant in the constellation Carina.

When does the Eta Carinae meteor shower occur?

Variable star observers can compare its brightness with several 4th- and 5th-magnitude stars closely surrounding the nebula. Discovered in 1961, the weak Eta Carinids meteor shower has a radiant very close to Eta Carinae. Occurring from 14 to 28 January]

Who are the members of the asterism Eta Carinae?

Together with s Carinae, λ Centauri and λ Muscae, Eta Carinae forms the asterism 海山 ( Sea and Mountain ). Eta Carinae has the names Tseen She (from the Chinese 天社 [Mandarin: tiānshè] “Heaven’s altar”) and Foramen.

How big is the nebula in the Carina constellation?

NGC 3372 (Caldwell 92) or Eta Carinae Nebula. NGC 3372 or Caldwell 92 (also known as the Eta Carinae Nebula) is a diffuse nebula in the constellation Carina. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 6.2 and its angular diameter is 120×120 arc-minutes.