Mystic Mountain

A Mystic Mountain of dust and gas rises within the Carina Nebula The top of a three-light-year tall pillar of cool hydrogen laced with dust rises from the wall of the nebula and is being worn away by the radiation of nearby stars. From the peaks, stars within the pillar unleash jets of streaming gas. This photo, marking Hubble's 20th anniversary, is of a small portion of one of the largest seen star-birth regions in the galaxy, the Carina Nebula. The pillar is also being pushed apart by infant stars from within, as they fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from the peaks like arrows flying through the air. A portion of every Posternauts purchase supports young minds through the scholarship fund of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center® Foundation. Learn More Object Name: HH 901 and HH 902 in the Carina Nebula Release Date: Apr 15, 2010 Image Credits: NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI)