The Eagle Nebula's astonishing Pillars of Creation, now in infrared

The majestic image below of the Eagle Nebula's "Pillars of Creation," captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995, has become an iconic astronomical photograph. It depicts the visible light, meaning the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can see. In this new take above, NASA scientists present the same view of the pillars but in infrared light "which pierces through obscuring dust and gas." From NASA:

In this ethereal view the entire frame is peppered with bright stars and baby stars are revealed being formed within the pillars themselves. The ghostly outlines of the pillars seem much more delicate, and are silhouetted against an eerie blue haze.

Image credit: NASA, ESA/Hubble and the Hubble Heritage Team