Eta Carinae

Around 1730, astronomers noted that Eta Carinae—one of the most massive stars known to science—had gotten brighter. It soon faded, only to intensify again in April 1843. Despite its enormous distance from Earth—about 7,500 light years—Eta Carinae became the second brightest star in the sky before again fading. Though the star was not destroyed in the 1843 “supernova imposter event,” it could undergo a catastrophic explosion in the relatively near future. How might such an event affect Earth? Discuss

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