Eagle Nebula Full resolution on flickr. The Eagle Nebula (cataloged as Messier 16 or NGC 6611) is one of the most iconic objects in our night sky. Located approximately 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens, this spectacular formation is an active star-forming region that spans roughly 70 by 55 light-years. The nebula contains several distinct features that have captured the imagination of astronomers and the public alike: The Pillars of Creation: These famous columnar structures, immortalized by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995, are massive clouds of cold molecular hydrogen gas and dust that are in the process of creating new stars.