M16: Stars from Eagle's Eggs
Credit & Copyright: J. Hester, P. Scowen
(ASU),
HST,
NASA
Explanation:
Newborn stars are forming in the Eagle Nebula.
This image, taken with
the
Hubble Space Telescope in 1995, shows
evaporating gaseous globules
(EGGs)
emerging from pillars of molecular
hydrogen gas and
dust.
The
giant pillars are
light years in length
and are so dense that interior gas
contracts gravitationally to form stars.
At each
pillars' end,
the intense radiation of bright young stars
causes low density material to boil away,
leaving
stellar
nurseries of dense EGGs exposed.
The
Eagle Nebula, associated
with the
open star cluster
M16, lies about 7000
light years
away.
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.
