Title:[0107] The Emission Nebula in Messier 16, NGC 6611 Caption:M16 is a typical star-forming region. Within it has appeared a cluster of young stars, which formed about 2 million years ago, among them a few very massive hot stars. Brilliant stars of this type are much hotter than the Sun and are often thirty times more massive. The dark intrusions visible across the face of the nebula are thought to be condensations of dusty material that might one day collapse into yet more stars. Bright red regions of photo-ionized hydrogen such as M16 are usually found in the spiral arms of galaxies and are often associated with dust. Copyright:(c) 1980 Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, photograph by David Malin Credit:D. F. Malin

Title:[1118] Eagle Nebula in Serpens Caption:Eagle Nebula, M16, NGC 6611; an irregular, gaseous nebula in the constellation Serpens. The many bright-edged features visible are shock fronts between gas clouds in different states of ionization. The dark areas consist of opaque dust and gas. Kitt Peak 4-meter Mayall telescope photograph. Copyright: Credit:National Optical Astronomy Observatories

Title:[0252] The dust lanes in Messier 16 Caption:There are few clearer examples anywhere of the intimate relationship between dust, gas and young stars than M16. We see a young cluster of stars (NGC 6611), which formed about 2 million years ago, illuminating a cloud of hydrogen gas. The glowing hydrogen provides a vivid background against which are seen numerous dark lanes and discrete globules of dust. Many of the dusty clouds are edged with bright rims, which indicate the direction of the exciting stars and point to the cluster as the energizing source. Copyright:(c) 1986 Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, photograph by David Malin Credit:D. F. Malin