2005A&A...436..945H

The spectrum of Eta Carinae and its ejecta shows slow variations over a period of 5.5-years. However, the spectrum changes drastically on a time scale of days once every period called the ``spectral event''. We report on variations in the narrow emission line spectrum of gas condensations (the Weigelt blobs) close to the central star during a spectral event. The rapid changes in the stellar radiation field illuminating the blobs make the blobs a natural astrophysical laboratory to study atomic photoprocesses. The different responses of the HI Paschen lines, fluorescent <FeII> lines and forbidden [FeII] lines allow us to identify the processes and estimate physical conditions in the blobs. This paper is based on observations from the Pico dos Dias Observatory (LNA/Brazil) during the previous event in June 2003.