                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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.

                               2022 December 6
   The featured image shows a large golden-brown pillar of dust surrounded
   by a few smaller pillars. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                    M16: A Star Forming Pillar from Webb
     Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Processing & Copyright: Mehmet
                                 Hakan zsara

   Explanation: What's happening inside this interstellar mountain? Stars
   are forming. The mountain is actually a column of gas and dust in the
   picturesque Eagle Nebula (M16). A pillar like this is so low in density
   that you could easily fly though it -- it only appears solid because of
   its high dust content and great depth. The glowing areas are lit
   internally by newly formed stars. These areas shine in red and infrared
   light because blue light is scattered away by intervening interstellar
   dust. The featured image was captured recently in near-infrared light
   in unprecedented detail by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST),
   launched late last year. Energetic light, abrasive winds, and final
   supernovas from these young stars will slowly destroy this stellar
   birth column over the next 100,000 years.

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                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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