They were destroyed, blasted by a supernova that happened 6,000 years ago. With our telescopes, we can see the supernova advancing, unstoppable, destroying everything it touches. From Earth, the shockwave has not reached the Pillars of Creation yet. For our senses, they are still there—intact.
Sky, an impressive time machine. Even though they are destroyed, it’s amazing that we have just taken a new and improved picture of it recently. I wish I would see the shockwave images, alas I won’t be around in a thousand years.