Eta Carinae: An Explosive Star System Captured In Great Detail (Video)

The Eta Carinae star system was seen in greatest detail using the Very Large Telescope. The astronomers captured the star system and discovered unexpected structures within the binary system. These include the area between the two stars, in which tremendously high-velocity stellar winds are crashing.

Highest resolution image of Eta Carinae https://t.co/9VVk20TZWi pic.twitter.com/FMoSdwY7nV

— Science (@scienmag) October 21, 2016

The details that were seen of this Eta Carinae star system could provide the understanding of the evolution of extremely massive stars. This  was led by Gerd Weigelt from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) and a team of astronomers. They looked at the image of Eta Carinae star system in the Carina Nebula at ESO's Paranal Observatory using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), according to Science Daily.

Next Stop: Eta Carinae Star System (feat. @cl_deliirium) @seanonolennon  https://t.co/u3xXVqRTVO pic.twitter.com/BNqV6WwDUv — SPACE.com (@SPACEdotcom) October 21, 2016

"Our dreams come true because we can now get extremely sharp images in the infrared," said Weigelt. He further said that the VLTI gives them with a unique opportunity to improve their physical understanding of Eta Carinae and many other key objects.

The VLTI images also showed the structure that exists between the two Eta Carinae-stars. There was an unexpected fan-shaped structure spotted where the fuming wind from smaller, hotter star collides into the denser wind from the larger of the pair. The astronomers were able to gauge the velocities of the intense stellar winds. With this, they can create more accurate computer models of the internal structure of the amazing stellar system. This could aid them in comprehending how these extremely high mass stars lose mass as they develop.

Eta Carinae also knew before as Eta Argus is a stellar system that has at least two stars. It is located around 7,500 light-years from the Earth in the constellation Carina. The Eta Carinae brightened considerably during the Great Eruption in 1837 to 1856. It is also known as the second-brightest star in the sky between March 11 to 14 1843 then faded and cannot be seen by the naked eye. Then in 1940 it has started to brighten consistently.