Hubble Space Telescope proper-motion measurements of the η Carinae nebula

Jon A. Morse; James R. Kellogg; John Bally; Kris Davidson; Bruce Balick; Dennis Ebbets

doi:10.1086/319092

Hubble Space Telescope proper-motion measurements of the η Carinae nebula

Jon A. Morse, James R. Kellogg, John Bally, Kris Davidson, Bruce Balick, Dennis Ebbets

Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present proper-motion measurements of the bipolar lobes and equatorial disk features ejected from η Carinae during the last century and deduce their relative ages in order to determine the likelihood of multiple ejection events. Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images taken in 1994, 1995, and 1999 were compared, and the motions of small (∼1″) patches throughout the nebula were measured. Assuming that the material has not been accelerated or decelerated, the projected expansion velocities of both lobes and two equatorial features (the "Paddle" and regions in the NN Jet) indicate that the bipolar lobes and fast equatorial ejecta have the same origin date, some 150 years ago during the Great Eruption. We also conclude that the ejection of the partial shell of outer debris preceded the Great Eruption by at least several decades or possibly a century, confirming that the nebula surrounding η Car represents at least two outburst events and maybe more.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L207-L211
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	548
Issue number	2 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/319092
State	Published - Feb 20 2001

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
6IRAF is distributed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS) is distributed by the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Doug Currie, Ted Gull, Roberta Humphreys, and Nathan Smith for helpful discussions. We also thank the referee, Norbert Langer, for instructive comments that have improved the content and presentation of these results. This work has been supported under NASA/HST grant GO-08178.01-97A from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Keywords

Circumstellar matter
ISM: jets and outflows
Stars: individual (η Carinae)

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title = "Hubble Space Telescope proper-motion measurements of the η Carinae nebula",

abstract = "We present proper-motion measurements of the bipolar lobes and equatorial disk features ejected from η Carinae during the last century and deduce their relative ages in order to determine the likelihood of multiple ejection events. Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images taken in 1994, 1995, and 1999 were compared, and the motions of small (∼1″) patches throughout the nebula were measured. Assuming that the material has not been accelerated or decelerated, the projected expansion velocities of both lobes and two equatorial features (the {"}Paddle{"} and regions in the NN Jet) indicate that the bipolar lobes and fast equatorial ejecta have the same origin date, some 150 years ago during the Great Eruption. We also conclude that the ejection of the partial shell of outer debris preceded the Great Eruption by at least several decades or possibly a century, confirming that the nebula surrounding η Car represents at least two outburst events and maybe more.",

keywords = "Circumstellar matter, ISM: jets and outflows, Stars: individual (η Carinae)",

author = "Morse, {Jon A.} and Kellogg, {James R.} and John Bally and Kris Davidson and Bruce Balick and Dennis Ebbets",

note = "Funding Information: 6IRAF is distributed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS) is distributed by the Space Telescope Science Institute. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Doug Currie, Ted Gull, Roberta Humphreys, and Nathan Smith for helpful discussions. We also thank the referee, Norbert Langer, for instructive comments that have improved the content and presentation of these results. This work has been supported under NASA/HST grant GO-08178.01-97A from the Space Telescope Science Institute.",

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AU - Kellogg, James R.

AU - Bally, John

AU - Davidson, Kris

AU - Balick, Bruce

AU - Ebbets, Dennis

N1 - Funding Information: 6IRAF is distributed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS) is distributed by the Space Telescope Science Institute. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Doug Currie, Ted Gull, Roberta Humphreys, and Nathan Smith for helpful discussions. We also thank the referee, Norbert Langer, for instructive comments that have improved the content and presentation of these results. This work has been supported under NASA/HST grant GO-08178.01-97A from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

PY - 2001/2/20

Y1 - 2001/2/20

N2 - We present proper-motion measurements of the bipolar lobes and equatorial disk features ejected from η Carinae during the last century and deduce their relative ages in order to determine the likelihood of multiple ejection events. Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images taken in 1994, 1995, and 1999 were compared, and the motions of small (∼1″) patches throughout the nebula were measured. Assuming that the material has not been accelerated or decelerated, the projected expansion velocities of both lobes and two equatorial features (the "Paddle" and regions in the NN Jet) indicate that the bipolar lobes and fast equatorial ejecta have the same origin date, some 150 years ago during the Great Eruption. We also conclude that the ejection of the partial shell of outer debris preceded the Great Eruption by at least several decades or possibly a century, confirming that the nebula surrounding η Car represents at least two outburst events and maybe more.

AB - We present proper-motion measurements of the bipolar lobes and equatorial disk features ejected from η Carinae during the last century and deduce their relative ages in order to determine the likelihood of multiple ejection events. Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images taken in 1994, 1995, and 1999 were compared, and the motions of small (∼1″) patches throughout the nebula were measured. Assuming that the material has not been accelerated or decelerated, the projected expansion velocities of both lobes and two equatorial features (the "Paddle" and regions in the NN Jet) indicate that the bipolar lobes and fast equatorial ejecta have the same origin date, some 150 years ago during the Great Eruption. We also conclude that the ejection of the partial shell of outer debris preceded the Great Eruption by at least several decades or possibly a century, confirming that the nebula surrounding η Car represents at least two outburst events and maybe more.

KW - Circumstellar matter

KW - ISM: jets and outflows

KW - Stars: individual (η Carinae)

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Hubble Space Telescope proper-motion measurements of the η Carinae nebula

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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