Light Echoes of Historic Transients. Issue Volume 9:Issue S296(2013) (29th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rest, Armin; Sinnott, B.; Welch, D. L.; Prieto, J. L.; Bianco, F.
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 9:Issue S296(2013)
• Page Start: 126
• Page End: 134
• Publication Date: 2014-01-29
• Subjects: reflection nebulae, -- supernovae: general, -- supernovae: individual (SN 1987A), -- stars: individual (η Car), -- stars: variables: other; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921313009356
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Light echoes, light from a variable source scattered off dust, have been observed for over a century. The recent discovery of light echoes around centuries-old supernovae in the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud have allowed the spectroscopic characterization of these events, even without contemporaneous photometry and spectroscopy using modern instrumentation. Here we review the recent scientific advances using light echoes of ancient and historic transients, and focus on our latest work on SN 1987A's and Eta Carinae's light echoes.