There are few more iconic images from the Hubble Space Telescope than this one. A colossal pillar of gas and dust towering 9.5 light-years tall, this spectacular structure in the Eagle Nebula highlights the breathtaking beauty sculpted by the forces of star formation.

Thirty-five years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit. It's been sending back galactic data and images ever since.

The Hubble Space Telescope is in low Earth orbit, 320 miles (515 kilometers) above the planet, placing it above most of the atmosphere. Its orbit is inclined at 28.5