M16 • NGC 6611 • Eagle Nebula

M16, the Eagle Nebula, is one of the most iconic star‑forming regions in the Milky Way. The nebula is illuminated by the young open cluster NGC 6611, whose hot, massive stars carve out cavities in the surrounding hydrogen gas. The region is famous for the “Pillars of Creation,” towering columns of dense gas and dust where new stars are born. M16 combines glowing emission nebulae, dark dust structures, and active stellar nurseries, making it a spectacular target for astrophotographers and a key object for studying early stellar evolution.