Nebula
03 Nov 1995 --- Gas pillars in the Eagle Nebula. Hubble Space Telescope image showing dark pillars of dense molecular hydrogen and dust in the Eagle Nebula (M16). Ultraviolet light from young stars (out of frame) evaporates gas from the 1 light-year long pillars, creating the blue halo-like effect. The small protrusions on the pillars contain globules of even denser gas which are embryonic stars; these have been dubbed Evaporating Gaseous Globules, or EGGs. The evaporation of the pillar limits the amount of gas and dust which these embryonic stars can gather. The Eagle Nebula is about 7000 light years from Earth. --- Image by © SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE/Science Photo Library/Corbis
03 Nov 1995 --- Embryonic stars emerging from a nebula. Hubble Space Telescope image showing part of a pillar of dense molecular hydrogen and dust in the Eagle Nebula (M16). The 'fingers' emerging from the pillar contain small, very dense regions which are embryonic stars. These have been dubbed Evaporating Gaseous Globules, or EGGs. Ultraviolet light from nearby massive young stars evaporates gas from the pillar, creating the blue halo-like effect. The evaporation of the pillar limits the amount of gas and dust the EGGs may gather from their surroundings, and thus their final size. The Eagle Nebula is about 7000 light years from Earth. --- Image by © Space Telescope Science Institute/Science Photo Library/Corbis