  $\eta$ Carinae is composed of two very massive stars orbiting each other in
5.5 years. The primary star features the densest known stellar wind, colliding
with that expelled by its companion. The wind collision region dissipates
energy and accelerate particles up to relativistic energies, producing non
thermal X- and $\gamma$-ray emission detected by Beppo-SAX, INTEGRAL, Swift,
Suzaku, Agile, Fermi and H.E.S.S.. The orbital variability of the system
provides key diagnostic on the physics involved and on the emission mechanisms.
The low-energy component, which cuts off below 10 GeV and varies by a factor <
2 along the orbit, is likely of inverse Compton origin. The high energy
component varies by larger factors and differently during the two periastrons
observed by Fermi. These variations match the predictions of simula- tions
assuming a magnetic field in the range 0.4-1 kG at the surface of the primary
star. The high-energy component and the thermal X-ray emission were weaker than
expected around the 2014 periastron suggesting a modification of the inner wind
density. Diffuse shock acceleration in the complex geometry of the wind
collision zone provides a convincing match to the observations and new
diagnostic tools to probe the geometry and energetics of the system. A future
instrument sensitive in the MeV energy range could discriminate between
lepto-hadronic and hadronic models for the gamma-ray emission. At higher
energies, the Cherenkov Telescope Array will distinguish orbital modulations of
the high-energy component from these of ultraviolet-TeV photo absorption
providing a wealth of information constraining acceleration physics in more
extreme conditions than found in SNR.
