Back to photostream

Eta Carinae Stellar Wind Simulation 3

Edited simulation illustration from the Goddard Space Flight Center of the stellar winds produced by the binary star Eta Carinae.

 

Original caption: In this supercomputer simulation, the stars of Eta Carinae are shown as black dots in a view above their orbital plane. Lighter colors indicate greater densities in the stellar winds produced by each star. At closest approach, the fast wind of the smaller star carves a tunnel in the thicker wind of the larger star. The scene is 20 astronomical units (1.9 billion miles or 2.9 billion km) across, a distance slightly larger than the diameter of Saturn's orbit in our solar system.

 

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/T. Madura

583 views
2 faves
0 comments
Uploaded on January 12, 2015