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Nature volume 486, pages E1–E2 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Replying to K. Davidson & R. M. Humphreys Nature486,http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11166(2012).

In our Letter1 reporting the light echoes of η Carinae we analysed the spectral characteristics of η Carinae during the Great Eruption of the mid-1800s, and found the line content to be similar to that of G supergiant stars. This we interpret as evidence that η Carinae’s Great Eruption was not a typical luminous blue variable (LBV) outburst, because spectra similar to those of F and A supergiant stars, earlier and hotter than G-type stars, are observed in LBV eruptions of all kinds, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Davidson & Humphreys2 object that our spectral type and temperature estimate are not sufficiently robust, and that the spectral features are in agreement with their theoretical predictions.

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References

  1. Rest, A. et al. Light echoes reveal an unexpectedly cool η Carinae during its nineteenth-century Great Eruption. Nature 482, 375–378 (2012)

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  2. Davidson, K. & Humphreys, R. M. Nature 486, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11166 (2012)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, 21218, Maryland, USA

    A. Rest, N. R. Walborn & H. E. Bond

  2. Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, 91101, California, USA

    J. L. Prieto

  3. § Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Peyton Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA,

    J. L. Prieto

  4. ‖ Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA ,

    N. Smith

  5. Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Goleta, 93117, California, USA

    F. B. Bianco & D. A. Howell

  6. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, 93106, California, USA

    F. B. Bianco & D. A. Howell

  7. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA

    R. Chornock, R. J. Foley, W. Fong & K. Mandel

  8. ** Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada,

    D. L. Welch & B. Sinnott

  9. †† Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 3400 North Charles Street, Maryland 21218, USA,

    M. E. Huber

  10. ‡‡ Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Colina el Pino S/N, La Serena, Chile ,

    R. C. Smith

  11. §§ ALMA, KM 121 CH 23, San Pedro de Atacama, II Region, Chile ,

    I. Toledo

  12. ‖‖ Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pontifica Universidad Catolica, Avenida Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Santiago 22, Chile,

    D. Minniti

  13. Imperial College London, Blackett Laboratory, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2AZ, London, UK

    K. Mandel

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  1. A. Rest
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Rest, A., Prieto, J., Walborn, N. et al. Rest et al. reply. Nature 486, E1–E2 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11167

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