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Pillars of Creation Destroyed

anthemaniac writes with news about the Pillars of Creation, an iconic structure in the Eagle Nebula some 7,000 light-years distant. The Hubble Space Telescope's image of this structure is one of the most widely recognized astronomy images ever captured. Now a new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope suggests that the pillars probably toppled 6,000 years ago. From the article: "Astronomers think [a] supernova's shock wave knocked the pillars down about 6,000 years ago. But because light from that region of the sky takes 7,000 years to reach us, the majestic pillars will appear intact to observers on Earth for another 1,000 years or so.'"

8 of 364 comments (clear)

  1. Ah ha! by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    Astronomers think [a] supernova's shock wave knocked the pillars down about 6,000 years ago.

    Just as the the Earth was being created!

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    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:Ah ha! by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 5, Informative

      The earth is actually older than 6,000 years.

      *please mod informative, please mod informative*

    2. Re:Ah ha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, atheism is a religion in exactly the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby.

  2. If you lived in the Eagle Nebula by andy314159pi · · Score: 5, Funny

    There was a gimmicky sign left by the pillars of creation:

    If you lived in the Eagle Nebula, you'd be destroyed by now.

  3. Proper Time Travel Grammar by Peter+Trepan · · Score: 5, Funny

    They willan on-have collapsen.

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  4. Re:Bad use of "already" by baldass_newbie · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, this is a *ahem* perfect use of the pluperfect tense.

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  5. Re:Bad use of "already" by nacturation · · Score: 5, Funny

    So if I fart and you're 100 meters away, will you say that I haven't yet farted because it's outside of your smell cone?

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  6. speed of light speed of pressure wave by mstrcat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All of the comments about time travel, light cones, ect are a complete and utter waste of time. While the article doesn't do a very good job of explaining it, the light from the proposed super nova that will cause changes in the Pillars of Creation has already reached us. What hasn't reached us yet is the light from the changed Pillars of Creation. This difference is due to two factors, one small and one huge. The small one is that fact that the star that went nova is closer to us than the Pillars are. The largest factor is the difference in the progagation of the light from the super nova and that of the wave that will physically re-arrange the Pillars. A simple model is the light and sound from an explosion. You'll see the light flash before you hear the bang.