Exotic Objects Low Res. 72 dpi - 16K Med. Res.150 dpi - 146K High Res. A huge, billowing pair of gas and dust clouds is captured in this stunning image of the supermassive star Eta Carinae.
Dust lans, tiny condensations, and strange radial streaks all appear with unprecedented clarity.
Eta Carinae was the site of a giant outburst about 150 years ago, when it became one of the brightest stars in the southern sky. Though the star released as much visible light as a supernova explosion, it survived the outburst. Somehow the explosion produced two polar lobes and a large, thin equatorial disk, all moving outward at about 1.5 million miles per hour. Estimated to be 100 times more massive than our Sun, Eta Carinae may be one of the most massive stars in our galaxy. NASA Low Res.