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The three columns of dust and gas in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope
image are located in the Eagle Nebula. This nebula contains hydrogen
and microscopic dust particles, the raw materials for building new
stars. Near the top of the tallest column are young, hot, massive stars
that shine very brightly, emitting radiation to heat the surrounding
gas, making it glow. The Eagle Nebula, some two million years old, is
located in the constellation Serpens at about 7,000 light–years from
Earth.
Image courtesy of Jeff Hester and Paul Scowen of Arizona State University. |