| Eagle Nebula (M16; NGC 6611) |
| An emission nebula surrounding a brilliant cluster of young stars in the constellation Serpens. The nebula glows with the characteristic red colour of hydrogen gas ionized by the radiation from the stars, which are estimated to be only 2 million years old. Detailed observations show it to be a region of ongoing star formation. The nebula lies at a distance of 7,000 light years and is half a degree in diameter. |