M16: The Eagle Nebula in Serpens (NGC 6611)


Object type: Emission (H II region) nebula
Distance from Earth: 6,000 light years
1,800 parsecs
Distance across Nebula: 20 light years
6.1 parsecs

The Eagle Nebula is a cloud of interstellar gas excited by several bright, hot O and B type stars. The small, dark regions may be protostars - globules of cold stellar gas that may condense to become new stars.



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