Superstar Duet in Eta Carinae

Synopsis

NASA Astrophysics presents a detailed look at Eta Carinae, a binary system that houses the most luminous and massive star within 10,000 light-years. This documentary highlights a long-term study that integrates data from NASA satellites and ground-based observing campaigns, resulting in the most comprehensive understanding of Eta Carinae to date. The findings include stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope, which capture decade-old shells of ionized gas moving away from the largest star at speeds of a million miles an hour. Additionally, new 3-D models provide insights into the dynamics of this extraordinary stellar system.