About this Object:  

The Eagle Nebula, M16, inspires us like perhaps no other object in the sky.  Perhaps it's because of the beautiful representation of its namesake, the Eagle.  But more than that, it's a spectacular representation of creation in real-time.  The hot emission nebula is the birthplace of many hot, new stars.   And it's this aspect of M16 that is captured in the famous Hubble shot entitled "Pillars of Creation."  Remarkably, amateur scopes can bring these foundational elements of the nebula up close and personal.

Visually speaking, M16 is  a relatively easy object to see in dark skies.  In fact, it will appear as a bright patch to the naked eye amidst the surrounding summer Milky Way.  However, the pillars themselves are a little more difficult to see.   Regardless, it is in one of the heaven's most exciting regions of the sky, and this image merely hints as to its true grandeur!

For the H-alpha version of this object, click <here>.