Pillars in M16 long gone?

[multiweb]

I was playing with SkySafari on my iPod and in the description for the eagle nebula there's a HST shot of it and a quick blurb about the pillars having been blown apart by a super nova already, further saying that we will only see their new shape in approx. 1000 years. Is this true? I understand the light travels at a finite speed so we'll see the real picture later but how do they know the nova already exploded? Apparently found out in 2007 with the spitzer space telescope.

[mithrandir]

A quick search pulled up one analysis that said it could be a million years before the shockwave reaches the pillars. Somehow I don't think I need worry they'll disappear in my lifetime.

Andrew

[CraigS]

Hi Marc;

A bit of a blurb here (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1708-ssc2007-01a-Cosmic-Epic-Unfolds-in-Infrared-The-Eagle-Nebula) … Spitzer photo is awesome, as usual.

The red region was taken in the 24 micron wavelength and represents hot dust thought to have been caused by a supernova about 8,000 to 9,000 years ago. Light takes 7k years to get to us, so the supernova should've appeared to us, between 1k to 2k years ago. We're presently seeing the 'immediate' afterglow. The blast would've 'tumbled' the towers about 6k years ago but we'll have to wait for another 1k years to photograph the effects.

Hope this helps.
Cheers

[multiweb]

Cool - thanks Craig, makes sense now.

[tlgerdes]

So Marc, you had better start imaging before it goes from Eagle to Roast Turkey :lol:

[Suzy]

Wow, really interesting stuff.
Thanks for that link Craig, it was a goody. :thumbsup:

[shelltree]

Wow, that's amazing! Thanks for the info Craig, the Universe really does astound me every day! :)

[multiweb]

Yeah, I'm still to get a good one. It's raining :shrug: With my luck they'll be gone next time I set up. :P

[CraigS]

Soggy roast turkey pillars, eh !
Yuk !
:)
Cheers