The Eagle Nebula: A Cosmic Pillar in Serpens Cauda | Hubble
In anticipation of the upcoming 35th anniversary of the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble is continuing the celebrations with a new view of the Eagle Nebula. This vast stellar nursery displays a towering spire of cosmic gas and dust that incorporates new data processing techniques developed since an image of this region was last released two decades ago.
Does this Hubble image of a sculpted pillar of gas and dust look to you like a curling party streamer, a plume of smoke from a blown-out candle, or an unusual balloon? Regardless of what you see when you gaze at this cosmic cloud, this new portrait is a cause for celebration.
Unfurling along the length of the image is a pillar of cold gas and dust that is 9.5 light-years tall. As enormous as this dusty pillar is, it is just one small piece of the greater Eagle Nebula that is also called Messier 16. The name Messier 16 comes from the French astronomer Charles Messier, a comet hunter who compiled a catalogue of deep-sky objects that could be mistaken for comets.
The name Eagle Nebula was inspired by the nebula’s appearance. The edge of this shining nebula is shaped by dark clouds like this one, giving it the appearance of an eagle spreading its wings.
The heart of the nebula, located beyond the edge of this image, is home to a cluster of young stars. These stars have excavated an immense cavity in the center of the nebula, shaping otherworldly pillars and globules of dusty gas. This particular feature extends like a pointing finger toward the center of the nebula and the rich young star cluster embedded there.
The Eagle Nebula is one of many nebulae in the Milky Way galaxy that are known for their sculpted, dusty clouds. Nebulae take on these fantastic shapes when exposed to powerful radiation and winds from infant stars. Regions with denser gas are more able to withstand the onslaught of radiation and stellar winds from young stars, and these dense areas remain as dusty sculptures like the starry pillar shown here.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.
Release Date: April 18, 2025
No comments:
Post a Comment