Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2026 June 10 [2]Gas, dust, and stars are scattered across the image. A dark silhouette that looks like an eagle swoops downward towards three small pillars of gas. Other gas and dust pillar-like features reach out of the surrounding nebula. A central cluster of stars sits beneath the eagle silhouette. The Eagle Nebula and Friends Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Emmanuel Delgadillo Text: [4]Keighley Rockcliffe ([5]NASA [6]GSFC, [7]UMBC CSST, [8]CRESST II) Explanation: What looks as if it is going to swallow the great [9]Pillars of Creation? [10]The Eagle Nebula ([11]M16) is not a bird, a plane, or [12]Superman. M16 is actually a combination of several celestial objects. [13]NGC 6611 is the young star cluster that appears to peak out beneath the Eagle’s “wings”. The [14]ultraviolet light from these stars [15]ionizes the surrounding gas, creating the [16]emission nebula IC 4703. The [17]Stellar Spire is seen reaching towards the Pillars of Creation from the left. Both are structures of cold gas and [18]dust that are optimal for [19]star formation. Some astronomers previously thought the Pillars of Creation had been [20]evaporated away by a supernova. Because M16 is 6,000 [21]light years away, we would not be able to see the Pillars’ destruction for thousands more years. However, there is no conclusive evidence of the theorized supernova, so the Pillars of Creation will likely continue to create stars for [22]millions of years. Tomorrow's picture: [23]mermaids in space! __________________________________________________________________ [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search | [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss | [34]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell ([38]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply. [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices; A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC, [46]NASA Science Activation & [47]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2606/eagle.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/astronomono/ 4. https://kerockcliffe.com/ 5. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe 6. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/ 7. https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/ 8. https://cresst2.umd.edu/ 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260531.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221004.html 11. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-16/ 12. https://media.tenor.com/13cw7VRUdNkAAAAe/kitten-superman.png 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020103.html 14. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves/ 15. https://www.astronomy.com/science/i-read-that-ultraviolet-light-is-the-cause-of-hii-regions-but-this-light-is-invisible-so-why-are-these-objects-the-color-red/ 16. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/E/emission+nebula 17. https://esahubble.org/images/heic0506b/ 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030706.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220314.html 20. https://www.space.com/3154-pillars-creation-toppled-stellar-blast.html 21. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/ 22. https://www.space.com/16396-eagle-nebula-m16-hubble-images-pillars-of-creation.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260611.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260609.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 30. https://apod.com/feed.rss 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260610 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260611.html 35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/ 36. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/ 37. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087 38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 43. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/ 44. https://www.nasa.gov/ 45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 46. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/ 47. http://www.mtu.edu/