M16     The Eagle Nebula in Serpens (NGC 6611)

        Object type:             Emission (H II region) nebula

        Distance from Earth:      6000 light years / 1800 parsecs

        Distance across Nebula:   20 light years / 6.1 parsecs


        The Eagle Nebula is a cloud of interstellar gas excited by several
        bright, hot O and B type stars.  The small, dark regions may be
        protostars - globules of cold stellar gas that may condense to
        become new stars.