Related papers: Physical conditions in the Homunculus
The ``Homunculus'' nebula around Eta Carinae is one of our most valuable tools for understanding the extreme nature of episodic pre-supernova mass loss in the most massive stars, perhaps even more valuable than the historical light curve of…
We present models that reproduce the observed double-shell structure of the Homunculus Nebula around eta Carinae, including the stratification of infrared H2 and [FeII] emission seen in data obtained with the Phoenix spectrograph on Gemini…
We here present two-dimensional, time-dependent radiatively cooling hydrodynamical simulations of the large and little Homunculus nebulae around $\eta$ Carinae. We employ an alternative scenario to previous interacting stellar wind models…
Homunculus Nebula is surrounding the star system Eta Carinae. The nebula is embedded within a much larger ionized hydrogen region, which is the Carina Nebula. Homunculus is believed to have been ejected in a huge outburst from Eta Carinae…
High resolution long-slit spectra obtained with the Phoenix spectrograph on Gemini South provide our most accurate probe of the three dimensional structure of the Homunculus around eta Car. The new near-infrared spectra dramatically confirm…
The evolved massive binary star Eta Carinae underwent eruptive mass loss events that formed the complex bi-polar Homunculus nebula harboring tens of solar masses of unusually nitrogen-rich gas and dust. Despite expectations for the presence…
We report the first detection of ammonia in the Homunculus nebula around eta Carinae, which is also the first detection of emission from a polyatomic molecule in this or any other luminous blue variable (LBV) nebula. Observations of the NH3…
I address uncertainties on the spatial distribution and mass of the dust formed in $\eta$ Carinae's Homunculus nebula with data being combined from several space- and ground-based facilities spanning near-infrared to sub-mm wavelengths, in…
The asymmetric shape of the nebula around $\eta$-Carinae (Homunculus) can be explained by a spherical expansion in a non-homogeneous medium. Two models are analyzed: an exponential and an inverse power law dependence for the density as a…
Near-infrared adaptive optics imaging with NICI and NaCO reveal what appears to be a three-winged or lobed pattern, the "butterfly nebula", outlined by bright Br$\gamma$ and H$_{2}$ emission and light scattered by dust. In contrast, the [Fe…
In this paper, we present two-dimensional gas dynamic simulations of the formation and evolution of the eta-Car bipolar outflows. Adopting the interacting nonspherical winds model, we have carried out high-resolution numerical simulations,…
Near-infrared emission lines provide unique diagnostics of the geometry, structure, kinematics, and excitation of eta Carinae's circumstellar ejecta, and give clues to the nature of its wind. The infrared spectrum is a strong function of…
Aims. The structural inhomogeneities and kinematics of massive star nebulae are tracers of their mass-loss history. We conduct a three-dimensional morpho-kinematic analysis of the ejecta of eta Car outside its famous Homunculus nebula.…
In this work, we present new two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the major eruption of $\eta$ Car in the 1840s, which resulted in the formation of a bipolar nebula that is commonly known as the large Homunculus. In our numerical…
We present optical spectra of the ionized `Outer Ejecta' of Eta Carinae that reveal differences in chemical composition at various positions. In particular, young condensations just outside the dusty Homunculus Nebula show strong nitrogen…
I examine the angular momentum evolution during the 1837-1856 Great Eruption of the massive star Eta Carinae. I find that the new estimate of the mass blown during that eruption implies that the envelope of Eta Car substantially spun-down…
Previous STIS long-slit observations of Eta Carinae identified numerous absorption features in both the stellar spectrum, and in the adjacent nebular spectra, along our line-of-sight. The absorption features became temporarily stronger when…
We present spectroscopic observations with high spectral resolution of eta Car as seen by the SE lobe of the Homunculus nebula over the 2003.5 "spectroscopic event". The observed spectra represent the stellar spectrum emitted near the pole…
We present here new results of two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the eruptive events of the 1840s (the great) and the 1890s (the minor) eruptions suffered by the massive star $\eta$ Car. The two bipolar nebulae commonly known as…
The HST archive contains a large collection of images of eta Carinae, and this paper analyzes those most suitable for measuring its expanding Homunculus Nebula. Multiple intensity tracings through the Homunculus reveal the fractional…