The genesis of this discussion may be traced back to Peter's visit to New Zealand in 2004, when he photographed the southern Milky Way. A blurry patch on one of the images was eventually recognised by Paul Money as NGC3372, the Eta Carinae Nebula. This photograph is included throughout the discussion, as well as Peter's trek into this beautiful southern nebula. Sir John Herschel's historical illustrations of Eta Carinae made while at Feldhausen in South Africa are also presented, as well as a discussion of "The Great Eruption of the Mid-nineteenth Century."