Picture of the Day ? The Star Pillars of Sharpless 171

Towering pillars of cold gas and dark dust adorn the center star forming region of Sharpless 171. An open cluster of stars is forming there from the gas in cold molecular clouds. As energetic light emitted by young massive stars boils away the opaque dust, the region fragments and picturesque pillars of the remnant gas [...]

Full story at http://spacefellowship.com/2009/10/18/picture-of-the-day-the-star-pillars-of-sharpless-171/