Here In the northern hemisphere, the Eagle Nebula is visible low in the southern horizon during summer months. That location, along with smoke-filled skies that we’ve had lately, has make this a difficult one for me to shoot from home.

Fortunately, a recent family trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, and its very clear and dark skies, gave me a great chance to capture this beauty.

The Eagle Nebula is relatively close to our solar system at a distance of 7000 light years. The colorful clouds of gas and dust seen here contain many star forming regions including the Pillars of Creation rising in the center of the glowing heart of the nebula (see the second image for an enlarged version of the Pillars of Creation).