The Eta Carinae Nebula and Centaurus A Near 1400 Mc/s. II. Physical Discussion of the Eta Carinae Nebula

Abstract

The 1400 Mcls observations of NGC 3372 described in Paper I (Hindman and Wade 1959) are discussed. Comparison of the flux densities at 85· 5 Mcls (Mills, Little, and Sheridan 1956) and at 1400 Mcls leads to a value of 10,000±1000 OK for the electron temperature of the nebula. Unpublished optical measurements of the distribution of surface brightness across the object, made by Gum, indicate that there is a dense core about 24 min of arc in diameter, surrounded by a much less dense region with a diameter of 120 min of arc.