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Eta Car with the surrounding the Eta Carinae Nebula is one of the most peculiar objects in the sky. The variable star eta Car behaves most erratically: In 1843 it flared up to a maximum brightness of -1 mag (which comes close to Sirius (alpha CMa)), but nowdays it shines as a 6th or 7th mag star. It is thought, that eta Car is a unstable supergiant having a mass of more than 100 times of that of our sun. In irregular intervals it throws of shells of gas. This star is a candidate to become a supernova somewhen in the next 10000 years. Because it is embedded in the Eta Carinae Nebula it gives a most glorious view for the observer (with a large telescope). This nebula is visible to the nakes eye and even larger than the famous Orion Nebula. It is bisected by a dark V-shaped lane of dust. Eta Car lies in the center of the nebula next to a dark patch called
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