ABOUT THIS IMAGE:

These great clouds of cold hydrogen resemble summer afternoon thunderheads. They tower above the surface of a molecular cloud on the edge of the nebula. So-called "elephant trunk" pillars resist being heated and eaten away by blistering ultraviolet radiation from the nebula's brightest stars.

Object Names: Carina Nebula, NGC 3372

Image Type: Astronomical

Credit for Hubble Image: NASA, ESA, N. Smith (University of California, Berkeley), and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Credit for CTIO Image: N. Smith (University of California, Berkeley) and NOAO/AURA/NSF

NEWS RELEASE IMAGES

The above image is part of a montage:

Montage Image: Carina Nebula Details Image Type: Astronomical PRC2007-16c

Carina Nebula Details: Pillar Image Type: Astronomical

Carina Nebula Details: The Caterpillar Image Type: Astronomical

All images from this news release:

To access available information and downloadable versions of images in this news release, click on any of the images below:

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