Cosmic ice sculptures

RELEASED: 16 SEPTEMBER 2010

Hubble captured this extraordinary image that reveals vast pillars made of cold hydrogen and dust – estimated to be one lightyear high – located in the Carina Nebula. At a distance, estimated to be around 7,500 lightyears away, the nebula is sculpted by violent stellar winds and powerful radiation from massive stars. The composite image is constructed from 2,005 Hubble observations.