Pillars of Creation

The Pillars of Creation are clouds of gas and dust stretching several light-years within the Eagle Nebula. Their shapes are created by strong stellar winds and high-energy radiation from hot, newly formed stars in star cluster NGC 6611, which lies at the center of the nebula. These high-energy emissions heat the dust molecules on the surface of the pillars and produce eye-catching ionizing flows that outline the clouds. 

Model credits: Leah Hustak and Ralf Crawford from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Contact: nancy_wolk@cfa.harvard.edu