But no one knows when - it may be next year, it may be one million years from now. Historical records do show that about 150 years ago Eta Carinae underwent an unusual outburst that made it one of the brightest stars in the southern sky . Now clearly visible are two distinct lobes, a hot central region , and strange radial streaks. The lobes are filled with lanes of gas and dust which absorb the blue and ultraviolet light emitted near the center. The streaks remain unexplained.
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