* Specifically, they are found in the Eagle Nebula (Messier 16), a star-forming region located about 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens.
The Pillars of Creation are iconic because they showcase the process of star formation. The pillars are made of cold gas and dust, and within them, new stars are being born. The intense radiation from nearby hot stars is slowly eroding the pillars, revealing the newly formed stars inside.
