description Eagle Nebula Overview
In the constellation Serpens, the Eagle Nebula surrounds a young star cluster associated with Messier 16. Hot stars ionize the nearby gas, producing the light of this emission nebula, including hydrogen-alpha emission. That glow comes from the gas responding to stellar radiation, rather than from hydrogen-alpha light being emitted directly by the young stars themselves. The Pillars of Creation, made familiar through Hubble Space Telescope images, are dense columns of gas and dust within the region.
Their forms show the interaction between material capable of forming stars and radiation that erodes the surrounding cloud. The Eagle Nebula is useful to astronomers and students studying stellar nurseries and the influence of young stars on their environment. It also helps connect small-scale processes of star formation with the broader evolution of a galaxy.
help Eagle Nebula FAQ
How far away is the Eagle Nebula?
Modern estimates place Messier 16 at about 7,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens Cauda. Older estimates in the 1990s suggested 6,500-7,000 light-years. It was catalogued by Charles Messier in 1764, though the Pillars themselves were not identified until much later.
When was the iconic Pillars of Creation image taken?
The famous Hubble Space Telescope image was captured in April 1995 by astronomers Jeff Hester and Paul Scowen of Arizona State University. It was a finalist for Astronomy Picture of the Year and has appeared on US postage stamps. Hubble revisited the region in 2014 with a higher-resolution near-infrared image.
Do the Pillars of Creation still exist?
A 2007 study led by Nicolas Flagey suggested a shock wave from a nearby supernova may have already destroyed the Pillars 6,000 years ago. Because they are roughly 7,000 light-years away, we would not yet know of the destruction from Earth's vantage point. The Spitzer Space Telescope data supported this interpretation.
What kind of nebula is M16?
The Eagle Nebula is an H II emission nebula, a cloud of ionized hydrogen surrounding hot young O-type stars in the open cluster NGC 6611. The cluster's stellar winds sculpt the gas into the tower and pillar shapes seen in Hubble imagery. Star formation continues inside the dense dust cores.
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