Group

Light Beyond the Bulb

M16/Eagle Nebula
6500 light years


Cassiopeia A

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Ultraviolet light from a group of young, massive stars is blasting and sculpting clouds of gas and dust that contain stars being born deep inside. This region was made famous from the release of a Hubble image in 1995 that became known as the “Pillars of Creation.” This new version of the image, also known as M16, takes advantage of Hubble's upgraded instrumentation, allowing an even more spectacular view. In this image of ultraviolet and visible light, oxygen emission is blue, sulfur is orange, and hydrogen and nitrogen are green.

Listen to audio version (English)

Download high-res image file | Download caption as .zip file