NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 18, 2026 features the Eagle Nebula, known as M16, in a combined Hubble visible-light and Chandra X-ray image, accompanied by a sonification of its pillars. According to the accompanying explanation, the light-years-long columns of cold gas and dust lie some 6,500 light-years away toward the constellation Serpens.

The pillars are described as sculpted and eroded by ultraviolet light and winds from M16's cluster of massive stars, and as destined for destruction. The star-forming environment within M16 is presented as likely similar to the one that formed our own Sun. In the video, stars and dust sound off as the sonification line moves left to right, with vertical position determining pitch.

The image is credited to NASA, ESA and The Hubble Heritage Project (STScI/AURA), with sonification by NASA, CXC, SAO, K. Arcand, M. Russo and A. Santaguida. Authors and editors are Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti and Keighley Rockcliffe.