Eagle Eggs in M16
Credit & Copyright: J. Hester & P. Scowen
(ASU),
HST,
NASA
Explanation:
Star forming regions known as "EGGs" are
uncovered at the end of this giant
pillar of gas and
dust
in the Eagle Nebula
(M16).
EGGs, short for
evaporating gaseous
globules,
are dense regions of mostly molecular
hydrogen
gas that fragment and gravitationally collapse to form
stars.
Light from the hottest and brightest of these
new stars heats the end of
the pillar and causes further evaporation of gas -
revealing yet more EGGs and more young stars.
This
picture was taken by the Wide Field and
Planetary Camera on board the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
