ell ation ▁Gem ini , ▁despite ▁its ▁B eta ▁design ation , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁bright est ▁in ▁the ▁sky . ▁Pol l ux ▁is ▁a ▁giant ▁orange ▁K ▁star ▁that ▁makes ▁an ▁interesting ▁color ▁contrast ▁with ▁its ▁white ▁" t win ", ▁Cast or . ▁Ev idence ▁has ▁been ▁found ▁for ▁a ▁hot , ▁outer , ▁magnet ically ▁supported ▁cor ona ▁around ▁Pol l ux , ▁and ▁the ▁star ▁is ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁X - ray ▁em itter . ▁ ▁E ta ▁Car inae ▁ ▁New ▁X - ray ▁observations ▁by ▁the ▁Ch andra ▁X - ray ▁Observ atory ▁show ▁three ▁distinct ▁structures : ▁an ▁outer , ▁horses ho e - sh aped ▁ring ▁about ▁ 2 ▁light ▁years ▁in ▁diameter , ▁a ▁hot ▁inner ▁core ▁about ▁ 3 ▁light - month s ▁in ▁diameter , ▁and ▁a ▁hot ▁central ▁source ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 ▁light - month ▁in ▁diameter ▁which ▁may ▁contain ▁the ▁super star ▁that ▁drives ▁the ▁whole ▁show . ▁The ▁outer ▁ring ▁provides ▁evidence ▁of ▁another ▁large ▁explos ion ▁that ▁occurred ▁over ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ago . ▁These ▁three ▁structures ▁around ▁E ta ▁Car inae ▁are ▁thought ▁to ▁represent ▁shock ▁waves ▁produced ▁by ▁matter ▁r ushing ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁super star ▁at ▁su person ic ▁spe eds . ▁The ▁temperature ▁of ▁the ▁shock - he ated ▁gas ▁ranges ▁from ▁ 6 0 ▁M K ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁regions ▁to ▁ 3 ▁M K ▁on ▁the ▁horses ho e - sh aped