The Eagle Nebula is one of the most well known regions in the universe having been snapped many times over the years by several telescopes including Hubble.
The latest images of the region come from the ESA’s Hershel Infrared Space Observatory and the XXM-Newton X-ray Observatory.
Clik here to view.
The Eagle Nebula seen by Hershel and XXM-Newton Credits: far-infrared: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/Hill, Motte, HOBYS Key Programme Consortium; X-ray: ESA/XMM-Newton/EPIC/XMM-Newton-SOC/Boulanger
This image spans approximately 75 light years across the entirety of the nebula.
This image is a combination of data from both telescopes of the dense central region of the nebula. We can learn more about the information the image displays if we separate the data from each observatory, first lets have a look at the XXM-Newton X-ray data.
Clik here to view.
XXM data of the Eagle Nebula Credits: ESA/XMM-Newton/EPIC/XMM-Newton-SOC/Boulanger
Each individual dot on the image is an X-ray source with the various colours indicating the energy of the X-rays being emitted by the source, red being the lowest energy (0.3-1keV) working up through medium energy sources shown in green (1-2keV) to the highest energy sources displayed in blue (2-8keV).
The XXM was observing the area to help determine the source of the Eagle Nebula’s strong emission. One theory suggests that a hidden supernova remnant could be supplying the nebula with large quantities of energy whilst remaining obscured by the nebula’s dense cloud. To help determine if this theory is valid the XXM is scouring the area in an attempt to detect any sign of a faint X-ray emission extending from the central region. The scientists believe that if the XXM doesn’t detect any more emitting material than has already been identified by previous searches using Sptizer and Chandra this will be strong support of the hidden SNR explanation.
Now lets examine the Hershel data:
Clik here to view.
Hershel's view of the Eagle Nebula Credits: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/Hill, Motte, HOBYS Key Programme Consortium
This displays the nebula in infra red wavelengths with 70 microns displayed in blue, 160 microns in green (both of these wavelengths were captured using filters in the PACS – Photodetector Array Camera - instrument) and finally 250 microns in red(images by SPIRE - Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver).
All these wavelengths are associated with very cold gas, indeed any gas displayed in blue here is just 40K above absolute zero down to that displayed in red which is a chilly 10K.
The twisted gas tendrils are still collapsing and will continue to form the next generation of stars for quite some time yet before the nebula finally disperses. Perhaps the most famous region within the nebula are the ‘Pillars of Creation’ which are in the above images which can be viewed just below the central point in the image (the eagle for which the nebula is named is located half way up the image on the left hand side, with its head pointing inwards). Indeed the Pillars are the central feature in one of the most recognisable image in all of astronomy:
Clik here to view.
The Pillars of Creation as seen by Hubble Credits: NASA/ESA/STScI, Hester & Scowen (Arizona State University)
The image was taken by Hubble in visible light using filters that isolate emission from excited hydrogen (Hα), singly ionised sulphur (SII) and doubly ionised oxygen (OIII). For scale, the tallest pillar is approximately four light years in height.
Now if we look at the same region in the infra red part of the spectrum (this time the data is provided by the ESO‘s, VLT’s ANTU telescope using the ISAAC instrument – yes that is quite a lot of acronyms), it looks completely different.
Clik here to view.
The Pillars of Creation as seen by ANTU Credits: VLT/ISAAC/McCaughrean & Andersen/AIP/ESO
At these wavelengths all but the densest regions of the Pillars are virtually transparent allowing us to gaze in wonder at the clumps of stars forming at the tips.
I leave you with this composite image, containing X-ray, visible and infra red data, enjoy.
Clik here to view.
Composite image of the Eagle Nebula Credits: far-infrared: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/Hill, Motte, HOBYS Key Programme Consortium; ESA/XMM-Newton/EPIC/XMM-Newton-SOC/Boulanger; optical: MPG/ESO; near-infrared: VLT/ISAAC/McCaughrean & Andersen/AIP/ESO
You can read more about this fantastic collection of images here.