Gas pillars in the Eagle Nebula. Computer artwork of dark pillars of dense molecular hydrogen and dust in the Eagle Nebula (M16). The pillars are one light year in length and the most dense parts are known as evaporating gaseous globules (EGGs), which contain embryonic stars. Ultraviolet radiation from nearby young stars evaporates the gas from the pillars, limiting the amount of gas and dust the embryonic stars can gather. The Eagle Nebula is about 7000 light years from Earth.