Discovery of a little homunculus within the Homunculus Nebula of η Carinae

Kazunori Ishibashi, Theodore R. Gull, Kris Davidson, Nathan Smith, Thierry Lanz, Don Lindler, Keith Feggans, Ekaterina Verner, Bruce E. Woodgate, Randy A. Kimble, Charles W. Bowers, Steven Kraemer, Sarah R. Heap, Anthony C. Danks, Stephen P. Maran, Charles L. Joseph, Mary Elizabeth Kaiser, Jeffrey L. Linsky, Fred Roesler, Donna Weistrop

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

86 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report long-slit spectroscopic mapping of the η Carinae nebula obtained using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. The observations reveal the presence of a previously unknown bipolar emission nebula (roughly ±2″ along its major axis) embedded within the well-known and larger Homunculus Nebula. A preliminary analysis suggests that this embedded nebula may have originated from a minor eruption event circa 1890, 50 years after the formation of the larger Homunculus.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3222-3236
Number of pages15
JournalAstronomical Journal
Volume125
Issue number6 1770
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Circumstellar matter
  • ISM: individual (Little Homunculus)
  • ISM: jets and outflows
  • Stars: individual (η Carinae)
  • Stars: mass loss
  • Stars: winds, outflows

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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