Program: GS-2007A-DD-11

** Request for Director's Discretionary Time ** --- After 10 years of accelerated brightening, eta Car has suddenly, unexpectedly faded by the largest amount seen in a century. This is relevant to the post-supernova-impostor recovery process, where eta Car is the only available test case. Blue-to-red spectroscopy with good spatial resolution is urgently needed in order to learn what has been happening. --- Our most recent HST photometry, resolving the central star from the bright ejecta, confirms the ground-based photometry at 3400A and 5500A but not in the UV (< 3000A). If the cause is rapid dust formation, then the star's wind and/or radiation field must have changed substantially. No theory predicted this. --- We request Director's Discretionary time to obtain spectra of the central star and selected positions in the ejecta, as soon as possible. Eta Car is still accessible in early evening until mid-July, but after that it won't become observable again until late October. We will also propose for the special 2007B call for proposals in order to detect subsequent spectroscopic changes.