Pillars of Creation

Caption

The Pillars of Creation are a formation of long thin dust clouds in the Eagle Nebula. They have been showcased in exquisite images from both the Hubble and Webb space telescopes. Their nickname derives from the fact that stars are forming within the pillars.

3D Printable Models

In 2D images, only 3 pillars (left, center and right) are apparent. However, in 3D, there are four separate clouds within the pillars:

• Pillar 1A is the top part of the left pillar

• Pillar 1B is the bottom part of the left pillar

• Pillar 2 is the central pillar

• Pillar 3 is the right pillar

Use the downloadable STL files to print the Pillars of Creation as a set or individually:

• Full Model - All four pillars with a round base

• Pillar 1A only

• Pillar 1B only

• Pillar 2 only

• Pillar 3 only

The last STL file is a positioning reference file for the four pillars without the base.

Credits

3D Model

Leah Hustak (STScI), Ralf Crawford (STScI)

Notes

The models will require supports. The full model with base has supports in the style of a mesh and the base itself appears to be a grid of support structures, but the underside of the base seems to still require supports.

The main purpose of re-uploading is to provide attention to the visualization of the pillars as written about in Pillars of Creation Star in New Visualization from NASA's Hubble and Webb Telescopes

A visualization of the Pillars

Narrated Version

The license for the content is Public Domain, but “it is requested that in any subsequent use of this work NASA and Space Telescope Science Institute be given appropriate acknowledgement” so it is set as Creative Commons - Attribution.

Learned of the article and 3D model from AstroCanuck's Twitch livestream.