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The eruption of neighboring superstar Eta Carinae over 170 years ago is fascinating researchers and setting records for the fastest jettisoned gas from a stellar outburst.
Approximately 170 years ago, a stellar eruption sped away from our massive (and incredibly unstable) neighboring superstar Eta Carinae. Now, a team from the University of Arizona in conjunction with NASA has determined this event holds the record for the fastest jettisoned gas ever measured from a star -- without the star self-destructing.
The energy from the blast would be equivalent to that of a traditional supernova explosion, events that often leave behind only the corpse of a star. However, this double star system stayed relatively intact.
For the last seven years, University of Arizona's Nathan Smith and the Space Telescope Science Institute's Armin Rest determined how powerful the blast was by looking at echoes of light surrounding Eta Carinae.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @09:51PM (2 children)
Was looking for an indicator of the actual speed, perhaps in relation to the speed of light, but I couldnt find that exactly. I did find the speed of the jettisoned gas is moving approximately 20,000,000 MPH. With a speed of light of 670,600,000 MPH the gas is moving almost 3% the speed of light. Not too shabby.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday August 09 2018, @12:40AM (1 child)
If it blew 170 years ago, and we're seeing it, 2700 LY away, now, then it's travelling at 16c!
Or journalists could incorporate some awareness of special relaticity in their atronomy pieces.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 09 2018, @12:56AM
We're seeing its light, yes, but the speed described in the article was the speed of the actual matter.