The 2003 Shell Event in eta Carinae
arXiv:astro-ph/0404513 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07950.x
Abstract
Near-infrared, JHKL, photometry of eta Car is reported covering the period 2000 to 2004. This includes the 2003 shell event which was the subject of an international multi-wavelength campaign. The fading that accompanied this event was similar to, although slightly deeper than, that which accompanied the previous one. The period between these events is 2023+/-3 days and they are strictly periodic. Their cause, as well as that of the quasi-periodic variations and secular brightening are discussed. It seems possible that all three types of variability are consequences of the binary nature of the star.
11 pages, 5 figures, to appear in MNRAS