If you've ever wanted to wander into deep space, this might be the most authentic experience you can come to.
NASA has produced a video that allows viewers to travel between the "Pillars of Creation" 6,500 light-years from Earth.
The video, the most detailed and comprehensive record ever made of these star-bearing clouds, has been described as "towering cosmic dust and gas tentacles."
This is possible because of the combination of observations from two of NASA's most powerful space telescopes, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Through the infrared spectrum of JWST, you can even see the inside of the three-light-year-high column, where young stars are born.
For the first time, this groundbreaking animation captures the 3D form of these massive structures, taking viewers on a journey of light-years of space.
However, this is not just an artist's whimsy, but the result of scientific research.
Using observations by Anna McLeod, an associate professor at Durham University, NASA was able to accurately reconstruct the arrangement of the columns.
In the 3D rendering, you can clearly see that the columns are not aligned, but are actually distributed over a wide area of space.
Frank Summers, chief visualization scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), said, "By flying and shuttling between the columns, viewers can experience their three-dimensional structure and see how they look differently in the Hubble visible view and Webb infrared view. ”
The Pillars of Creation are part of the Eagle Nebula, a structure less than 7,000 light-years away from Earth – first observed by the Hubble Telescope in 1985.
However, this latest animation combines photos taken by Hubble with the latest observations from JWST.
Not only does it present the Pillars of Creation in the highest detail ever created, but it also provides a new perspective on the formation of stars like our Sun.
Each pillar is made up of cold molecular hydrogen and clouds of interstellar dust.
These massive clouds are up to three light-years long – equivalent to three-quarters of the distance from our Sun to the nearest star – and are perfect for stellar birthplaces.
While the interior of these structures is hidden in the visible spectrum, infrared light can penetrate thick layers of dust.
"This contrast helps people understand why we need multiple space telescopes to look at different aspects of the same object," Mr. Summers said. ”
Using JWST to collect information in the infrared spectrum, we were able to observe young stars at different stages of growth in dust clouds.
In the animation, you can see these stars as bright spots that penetrate the dust or are clearly visible in the infrared spectrum.
In one of the pillars we can see a nova spewing material into space, while in the largest column we can see a "protostar" (a very young star that is still gathering mass).
Mark Clampin, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA's Washington headquarters, said, "When we combine observations from NASA space telescopes at different wavelengths of light, we broaden our understanding of the universe.
"The Pillars of Creation region continues to provide us with new insights and enhance our understanding of the process of star formation.
"Now, with this new visualization, everyone can experience this rich and fascinating landscape in a new way."