"Three giant columns of cold gas bathed in ultraviolet light from a group of young, massive stars in a small region of the Eagle Nebula or M16." This is the aseptic note that NASA has released to describe one of the iconic images in the history of astronomy: the so-called Pillars of Creation, sent by Hubble in 1995.
This cosmic spectacle, printed on T-shirts, posters, sneakers or cushions, has been portrayed again by the space telescope to celebrate its 25th anniversary in operation next April.
Taken with visible and infrared light, the new photo gains in amplitude and doubles the resolution of the old one, allowing a better appreciation of the star formation process. Above all, it is striking that the density increases abruptly at the edges of the three gas and dust colossi, as it was believed that it increased more gradually.
Hence, experts say that they are also "Pillars of Destruction" : the matter in these margins heats up to extreme temperatures and ends up evaporating.
The color code later adopted by other astronomical images can also be enjoyed in high resolution : ionized oxygen in blue, ionized hydrogen in green and ionized sulfur in red.
