NICER observation list: Target ID 461701

We request 52 ksec of observation time in NICER AO3 to monitor the recovery of X-ray emission from the super-luminous massive colliding wind binary Eta Carinae (η Car) after its most recent X- ray minimum/periastron passage. The NICER AO3 monitoring of η Car will provide observations at orbital phases between ∼4.18 and ∼4.37, an orbital phase interval not observed since RXTE. The observations from the same orbital phases using RXTE have shown a decrease of flux cycle by cycle that can be related with the mass loss of the stars and which needs to be confirmed with new NICER observations. If approved, the NICER η Car cycle 3 observations will provide coverage of nearly a complete binary orbit.