Star Explosion's Strange Shape Revealed in 3D (Video)

[Vartok]

A double-lobed star explosion seen by the Hubble Space Telescope has a more complicated backstory than astronomers ever imagined, according to a 3D model of the ill-fated star's eruption.

A 3D model of the Homunculus Nebula in Eta Carinae — some 7,500 light-years from Earth — shows the aftermath of the burst that gave rise to the nebula. The nebula itself is riveted with holes at each end, has deep trenches and include protrusions shaped like arms, among other features. You can explore a video of the nebula's 3D rendering as well.

"Our model indicates that this vast shell of gas and dust has a more complex origin than is generally assumed," Thomas Madura, a team member who is a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement.

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http://www.space.com/26840-star-explosion-eta-carinae-3d-video.html