I understand the fact that when the Pillars of Creation were discovered by the Hubble telescope, it was actually peering into the past, due to the expansion of the universe, also including factors of light waves and such. Since many years past, the actual nebula doesn't exist anymore.
What is the distance between the Earth and the nebula?
And how many years ago was the nebula actually caught by the lens of the Hubble telescope?
How many years ago did the nebula die off?
Also, does that mean that the futhur away an abject is in the universe, the more time lapsed by our perception?
What is the distance between the Earth and the nebula?
And how many years ago was the nebula actually caught by the lens of the Hubble telescope?
How many years ago did the nebula die off?
Also, does that mean that the futhur away an abject is in the universe, the more time lapsed by our perception?
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Messier 16, the Eagle Nebula, lies relatively close as it is inside our own galaxy. It is not affected directly by the expansion of the universe (that only affects intergalactic space).
It lies a mere 7000 light years, which is not even a blink of an eye in astronomical terms. It is therefore safe to assume that it is still there and any changes that has occurred in the last 7000 years has been small.
It lies a mere 7000 light years, which is not even a blink of an eye in astronomical terms. It is therefore safe to assume that it is still there and any changes that has occurred in the last 7000 years has been small.
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The Pillars of Creation are part of the Eagle Nebula (M16).
The Eagle Nebula is part of a diffuse emission nebula. This region of active current star formation is about 6,500 light-years distant. The tower of gas that can be seen coming off the nebula is approximately 100 trillion km (60 trillion miles) high.
NOTE: 1 light year = 6 trillion miles
Yes, the further away an object is located, the more time it takes for the light from that object to reach us.
The Eagle Nebula is part of a diffuse emission nebula. This region of active current star formation is about 6,500 light-years distant. The tower of gas that can be seen coming off the nebula is approximately 100 trillion km (60 trillion miles) high.
NOTE: 1 light year = 6 trillion miles
Yes, the further away an object is located, the more time it takes for the light from that object to reach us.
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I guess just doing a bit of searching online would be too hard.
The Eagle Nebula that contains the Pillars of Creation is about 7000 light years away, which means that the light we see today left there 7000 years ago.
Hubble took the image in 1995. Simple math makes that 16 years ago.
Nebula and other objects in space take a long time to die off or dissipate - the Eagle Nebula is still there, 7000 years isn't long enough for it to have disappeared. Though analysis of current images have shown a tiny change in the shape and size of the Pillars, its not enough to suggest the nebula has dissipated.
The farther away an object is located, the longer it has taken the light to reach us.
The light we see from the sun is 8 minutes old.
The light we see from the Eagle Nebula is 7000 years old.
The light we see from the Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million years old.
The Eagle Nebula that contains the Pillars of Creation is about 7000 light years away, which means that the light we see today left there 7000 years ago.
Hubble took the image in 1995. Simple math makes that 16 years ago.
Nebula and other objects in space take a long time to die off or dissipate - the Eagle Nebula is still there, 7000 years isn't long enough for it to have disappeared. Though analysis of current images have shown a tiny change in the shape and size of the Pillars, its not enough to suggest the nebula has dissipated.
The farther away an object is located, the longer it has taken the light to reach us.
The light we see from the sun is 8 minutes old.
The light we see from the Eagle Nebula is 7000 years old.
The light we see from the Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million years old.
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Because there are very bright stars ablating the gas and dust from the nebula, it should not last more than a few million years.
However, 7,000 years is nothing. If we could get a good picture of what it looks like "now" instead of 7,000 years ago, we might even be able to measure some of the tiny changes that would have taken place, and actually measure how long it will take to dissipate.
However, 7,000 years is nothing. If we could get a good picture of what it looks like "now" instead of 7,000 years ago, we might even be able to measure some of the tiny changes that would have taken place, and actually measure how long it will take to dissipate.