This star-forming region has the approximate shape of an eagle with outstretched wings, measuring nearly sixty light years from wingtip to wingtip. In its central regions lies a cluster of newly formed hot young stars. Formally it is this cluster that is designated NGC 6611, while IC 4703 describes the surrounding nebula.
The inspiration behind the name of the Eagle Nebula is clear from this image, showing outspread 'wings' that span a distance of dozens of light years. This image is centred on a star-forming region in the heart of the nebula, the Pillars of Creation made famous by a picture created by the Hubble Space Telescope. Zoom in to see the outlines of those Pillars (though note that this image has far lower resolution than the Hubble picture, and so the Pillars are shown in far less detail). Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas
A red emission nebula in Serpens, made famous by the striking Hubble Space Telescope pictures of its central regions, showing three distinct 'pillars' of gaseous material.
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