Supernova impostors: LBV outbursts from the most massive stars

Several recent luminous events that have been identified initially as supernovae (SNe) are probably not genuine SNe at all. Instead we argue that these events are more likely the outbursts, or super-outbursts, of very massive stars in the luminous blue variable (LBV) phase. At least two of these events are analogous to the Great 1843 Eruption of η Carinae.