THE SHAPE OF THE HOMUNCULUS NEBULA AROUND ETA-CARINAE

Authors
ALLEN DA HILLIER DJ
Citation
Da. Allen et Dj. Hillier, THE SHAPE OF THE HOMUNCULUS NEBULA AROUND ETA-CARINAE, Proceedings - Astronomical Society of Australia, 10(4), 1993, pp. 338-341
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
Proceedings - Astronomical Society of Australia → ACNP
ISSN journal
00669997
Volume
10
Issue
4
Year of publication
1993
Pages
338 - 341
Database
ISI
SICI code
0066-9997(1993)10:4<338:TSOTHN>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
From extensive spectroscopic observations we derive the three-dimensio nal structure of the Homunculus Nebula surrounding eta Carinae. The an alysis shows that the two lobes are hollow and incomplete, and that th e gas was ejected at similar epoch. Consequently the distribution of m aterial we see reflects its initial velocity. Using the observed expan sion velocity, and the known time of ejection, we derive a distance to eta Car of 2.2 +/- 0.2 kpc.