Those nebulae are amazing. You see the pictures, and measure the actual sizes, and it's simply mind-blowing when you think of how freaking huge those things are... like, how much "dust" is in that stuff??? I've always wondered what the Pillars of Creation would look like from up-close.
That is the Eagle Nebula. See that surrounded by the circle? Those are the pillars of creation. Look back at the picture specifically of the Pillars of Creation. Remember how freaking huge that thing is? Now multiply it, and you have the Eagle Nebula.
See that thing above and to the right of the circle? That is the Stellar Spire. Now, look at this picture of the Eagle Nebula:
It looks like a giant eagle, when you see the point at the top (as the nose) and the curved sides (as the wings), that is flapping its wings in flight, hence the name. Anyways, it is simply amazing that there is a hole right in the nebula that lets us see inside. See how it's "hollow?" That is pretty much because of the solar winds, blowing it all around. The Pillars of Creation are pretty much star-making machines, that constantly chug out new stars. That's why it's pretty bright, and that's why the "dust" is being blown away from it (there's so much solar power, that it's pretty much blowing all the dust)
There's a spectacular IMAX movie, "Hubble 3D" that I saw at least 3 times when I lived near Washington D.C. (I would watch it at the Smithsonian Museum's theater). In it, there's a segment where they "fly into" the nebula, and it's awesome. If any of you have the chance to see it, I highly recommend it.
TL;DR I love space.
