Why are the Pillars of Creation shaped like that?

Question

Why are the Pillars of Creation shaped like that?

In: 0

Answer 1

There is pressure from UV light from hot stars outside the frame. This UV light would clear away all of the gas and dust, but here and there are new stars forming. These areas of greater density and hence gravity can keep the gases from being blown away. At the top of each pillar is such a protostar. The Pillars then are gas and dust that have been in a protostar’s shadow and thus protected from the UV “wind.”