Waiting in the Wings: Reflected X-Ray Emission from the Homunculus Nebula

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2004-09, Vol.613 (1), p.381-386
• Main Authors: Corcoran, M. F, Hamaguchi, K, Gull, T, Davidson, K, Petre, R, Hillier, D. J, Smith, N, Damineli, A, Morse, J. A, Walborn, N. R, Verner, E, Collins, N, White, S, Pittard, J. M, Weis, K, Bomans, D, Butt, Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; H ii regions. Emission and reflection nebulae; Interstellar medium (ism) and nebulae in milky way; Stellar systems. Galactic and extragalactic objects and systems. The universe
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/423024

We report the first detection of X-ray emission associated with the Homunculus nebula that surrounds the supermassive star eta Car. The emission is characterized by a temperature in excess of 100 MK and is consistent with scattering of the time-delayed X-ray flux associated with the star. The nebular emission is bright in the northwestern lobe and near the central regions of the Homunculus, and fainter in the southeastern lobe. We also report the detection of an unusually broad Fe K fluorescent line, which may indicate fluorescent scattering off the wind of a companion star or some other high-velocity outflow. The X-ray Homunculus is the nearest member of the small class of Galactic X-ray reflection nebulae, and the only one in which both the emitting and reflecting sources are distinguishable.