望远镜观测到双星的绚丽彩虹光谱 | 2025年10月2日太空每日照片

Astronomers recently released a new image of the binary star system Eta Carinae's full spectrum, taken from deep in Chile's . The image was captured with the newly installed Echelle Spectrograph (STELES). The new spectrum image offers fresh insights into one of the galaxy's most massive and volatile star systems..

What is it?

STELES works by breaking starlight into its constituent colors with exceptional precision. Covering a broad swathe of the the instrument allows astronomers to study atomic and molecular features in stellar atmospheres, measure changes in as things move in our universe, and look at the physical condition of distant objects, including g

Where is it?

This image was taken at the SOAR Telescope on Cerro Pachón in Chile's Atacama Desert.t.

Why is it amazing?

Eta Carinae consists of at least two massive stars in highly eccentric orbit.

In the 1840s, Eta Carinae underwent the so-called "Great Eruption," when it brightened to become the second-brightest star in the night sky before fading and surrounding itself with gas and dust. No one is quite sure what and the star system is still under study today, as it's

Using instruments like STELES, astronomers can learn more about the system's outflows, winds and interactions between the two stars. The spectrum created by STELES can be used to identify the of the gas in Eta Carinae, measure the velocities of the material being expelled and track changes in the system over time. Because Eta Carinae may be nearing the end of its life, such data provide crucial insights into how massive stars evolve and how they may eventually explode as ..

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