Forming Stars in the Stream

Orbiting our galaxy are many smaller dwarf galaxies. As they orbit, some of these galaxies produce vast streams of gas that stretch around our Milky Way galaxy. Much of this gas still has the potential for forming stars. This astrobite will summarize a recent discovery of one of these stars.

Eta Carinae is heating up

Eta Carinae is heating up

The massive star Eta Carinae has been observed in the infrared for over forty years. Between 1976 and 1998, astronomers saw a linear increase in the star’s brightness. But Eta Carinae has been steadily heating up ever since a close approach with its companion star in 1998, and astronomers want to know why.