Kris Davidson

Theodore R. Gull

Sveneric Johansson

Annotation Observational data, laboratory measurements, and modeling efforts are reported in these papers from a conference on the massive star Eta Carinae and other stars with peculiar spectroscopic signatures. Organized in sections on the spectroscopy of Eta Carinae from X-rays to radio, questions from spectroscopy of other peculiar emission line stars, fluorescence and radiative processes, and spectra of Eta Carinae and Weigelt blobs BD, the papers deal with aspects of the field such as Raman scattering and symbiotic stars, the origin of strings in the outer regions in Eta Carinae, selective emission lines in O-type spectra, and cool star chromospheres and the sun. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The Hidden Opportunities of Emission Line Spectroscopy : Proceedings of an International Conference Held at Tycho Brahe's Island, Hven, Sweden, 24-26 August 2000

Eta Carinae and Other Mysterious Stars

Anthony F.J. Moffat

Henny J.G.L.M. Lamers

A strange field of speculation is opened by this phenomenon ... here we have a star fitfully variable to an astonishing extent. and whose fluctuations are spread over centuries. apparently in no settled period. and with no regularity of progression. What origin can we ascribe to these sudden flashes and relapses? What conclusions are we to draw as to the comfort or habitability of a system depending for its supply of light and heat on so uncertain a source? -- J. F. W. Herschel! We can imagine, at least, that the study of Luminous Blue Variable stars began as the official court astrophysicists of Eridu speculated about a new 5000 years ago first-magnitude star which persisted in their southern sky for several years.2 After that the topic languished for a while, but now it has been renewed following recent observations by Blaeu (P Cygni, c.1600) and Herschel (1] Argus, c.1840) ... -- More soberly, it is only within the past few years that we have begun to understand LBV's and to recognize their coherence as a class. Thus only a minority of astronomers are familiar yet with this relatively new topic, whose potential impli cations are of great interest (see below). One purpose of this book, we hope, will be to provide an accessible overview of the subject for interested astronomers and astrophysicists in general.

Proceedings of the 113th Colloquium of the International Astronomical Union, Held at Val Morin, Quebec Province, Canada, August 15–18, 1988

Physics of Luminous Blue Variables

Roberta M. Humphreys

In 1965 Fritz Zwicky proposed a class of supernovae that he called "Type V", described as "excessively faint at maximum". There were only two members, SN1961v and Eta Carinae. We now know that Eta Carinae was not a true supernova, but if it were observed today in a distant galaxy we would call it a "supernova impostor". 170 years ago it experienced a "great eruption" lasting 20 years, expelling 10 solar masses or more, and survived. Eta Carinae is now acknowledged as the most massive, most luminous star in our region of the Galaxy, and it may be our only example of a very massive star in a pre-supernova state. In this book the editors and contributing authors review its remarkable history, physical state of the star and its ejecta, and its continuing instability. Chapters also include its relation to other massive, unstable stars, the massive star progenitors of supernovae, and the "first" stars in the Universe.

Kris Davidson

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