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 launched on April 24, 1990, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31), and deployed into Earth orbit the following day, marking the beginning of its 35 years of exploring the cosmos. CREDIT: NASA.