July 16, 2009--The famous "pillars of creation" double as the taloned foot of a cosmic bird of prey in a new picture of the Eagle Nebula released by the European Southern Observatory.

Hovering about 7,000 light-years away, the nebula is a bright blob of gases and dust that's being constantly reshaped by the intense light and wind from the births of massive stars. The new image is one of the most detailed views yet of this famed stellar nursery.