The Eagle Nebula (catalogued as M16 and NGC 6611)
is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens,
discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46.
This region of active current star formation is about 6,500 light-years away from earth.
The tower of gas that can be seen coming off the nebula is approximately
9.5 light-years or about 90 trillion kilometers high.