This undated infrared image captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, released by NASA on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005, shows colossal pillars of cool gas and dust that provide scientists with an intimate look at the star-forming process. (Photo: NASA)

    BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Colossal pillars of cool gas and dust harboring embryonic stars was shown in a picture released Wednesday by NASA.

    The image, which was caught by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and dubbed the "Mountains of Creation" by astronomers, reveals hotbeds of star formation.

    The image reflects a region in space known as W5, in the constellation Cassiopeia 7,000 light years away, which is dominated by a single massive star.

    The largest pillars - formed by radiation and winds from hot, massive stars - contain hundreds of newborn stars.

    "We believe that the star clusters lighting up the tips of the pillars are essentially the offspring of the region's single, massive star," said Lori Allen, lead investigator of the new observations from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

    "It appears that radiation and winds from the massive star triggered new stars to form." he said. Enditem

    (Agencies)