History of Pillars of Creation in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 28, 2024

The Pillars of Creation is a famous photograph taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, depicting elephant trunks of interstellar gas and dust located in the Eagle Nebula about 6,500-7,000 light-years from Earth. Discovered in 1920 by John Charles Duncan, these pillars are named as such because the gas and dust are actively involved in the formation of new stars, even while being eroded by light from nearby, recently formed stars.

1906: William Jennings Bryan Publishes "The World's Famous Orations"

In 1906, William Jennings Bryan published "The World's Famous Orations," which included an 1857 sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon that used the phrase "pillars of creation."

1920: Discovery of Elephant Trunks in the Eagle Nebula

In 1920, John Charles Duncan, using the Mount Wilson Observatory's 60-inch telescope, discovered the elephant trunks of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula.

April 1, 1995: Hubble Telescope Captures the Pillars of Creation

On April 1, 1995, the Hubble Space Telescope captured the iconic "Pillars of Creation" photograph, showcasing the elephant trunks in the Eagle Nebula.

2001: Chandra X-ray Observatory Observes the Eagle Nebula

In 2001, the Chandra X-ray Observatory (AXAF) observed the Eagle Nebula, revealing X-ray sources from young stars.

2007: Findings from Chandra's Observation of the Eagle Nebula Released

Findings from Chandra X-ray Observatory's 2001 observation of the Eagle Nebula were released in 2007.

2009: Installation of Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3

Hubble Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 was installed in 2009.

2009: Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 Replaced

In 2009, the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 on the Hubble Space Telescope was replaced with the Wide Field Camera 3 during the Space Shuttle mission STS-125. The older camera is now displayed in a museum.

2010: Herschel Space Observatory Captures the Pillars of Creation in Infrared

The Herschel Space Observatory captured an image of the Pillars of Creation in far-infrared wavelengths in 2010, providing insights into the creative and destructive forces within the Eagle Nebula.

2011: Herschel Observatory Observes the Pillars of Creation

In 2011, the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory took an image of the Pillars of Creation.

2014: Hubble Revisits the Pillars of Creation

In 2014, the Hubble Space Telescope, equipped with a newer camera, captured a new image of the Pillars of Creation.

January 2015: Hubble's 25th Anniversary Celebration Unveils Enhanced Pillars of Creation Image

In January 2015, a larger, higher-resolution image of the Pillars of Creation, captured by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, was unveiled to celebrate the telescope's 25th anniversary.

October 2022: James Webb Telescope Reveals New Details of Star Formation in the Pillars of Creation

In October 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope, using its NIRCam instrument, captured an image of the Pillars of Creation that revealed ejections from young stars in development with remarkable detail.