The Eagle Nebula (aka Messier 16 or M16) contains the young star cluster NGC 6611 and the star-forming region known as the Pillars of Creation. This new composite image shows the region around the Pillars. It combines X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory with Hubble Space Telescope optical data. The optical image, taken with filters to emphasize the interstellar gas and dust, shows dusty brown nebula immersed in a blue-green haze with a few stars showing up as pink dots. The Chandra data shows X-rays from star’s hot outer atmospheres. Low, medium, and high-energy X-ray data are colored red, green, and blue, respectively.

Image Credit: NASA