The column of gas and dust is a dim, ghostly gray version of itself and mostly transparent. Stars can be seen through it and a cloudy jet of gas is visible emerging horizontally from within the column. The background is black space dotted with a myriad of stars.

Carina Nebula Pillar in Infrared

The infrared image reveals stars that are hidden in the visible-light image. A jet of material can be seen streaming to the left and right from a young star in the center of the pillar.

Credits: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
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Image CreditNASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team
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