Where do the most beautiful objects in space come from?

The answer

Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust in space, and they come in spectacular varieties. Emission nebulae glow when ultraviolet light from nearby hot stars ionizes their hydrogen gas. Planetary nebulae form when dying stars shed their outer layers into space, creating intricate shell-like structures. Dark nebulae are dense clouds that block background light. Most importantly, some nebulae are stellar nurseries where gravity slowly compresses gas into new stars. The famous Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula show columns of gas actively forming new star systems.