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K. Weis (U. of Minnesota)
The luminous unstable star \eta Carinae is surrounded by ejecta formed during the star's giant eruption around 1843. The nebula consists of an inner region, the bipolar Homunculus and the outer ejecta. We present a detailed analysis of the optical morphology, the kinematics and the soft X-ray emission of the outer ejecta around \eta Carinae. In addition to the global overview of the expansion pattern of the outer ejecta, which was found to be bi-directional, we emphasize the presence of very high radial velocities and the correlation of these structures with the X-ray emission. In this context we show that the soft X-ray emission of the outer ejecta results from shocks formed by the high velocity gas. Finally a discussion on the nature of unique structures within the outer ejecta called the Strings will be presented. The Strings are highly collimated, narrow high-velocity features following a linaerly increasing velocity law.
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