M16: Stars from Eagles EGGs . ... Credit Copyright: J. Hester, P. Scowen ( ASU ), HST , NASA Explanation: Newborn stars are forming in the Eagle Nebula. ... The giant pillars are light years in length and are so dense that interior gas contracts gravitationally to form stars. At each pillars' end , the intense radiation of bright young stars causes low density material to boil away, leaving stellar nurseries of dense EGGs exposed. ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ...