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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Слоновий хобот в IC 1396 http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1345620/eng |
Credit & Copyright: J.C. Canonne, P. Bernhard,
D. Chaplain & L. Bourgon
Explanation:
Like an illustration in a galactic
Just So Story,
the Elephant's Trunk Nebula
winds through the emission nebula and young star cluster
complex IC 1396, in the high and far off
constellation of Cepheus.
Of course, the cosmic
elephant's trunk is over 20 light-years long.
This composite
was recorded through
narrow band filters
that transmit the light from ionized hydrogen, sulfur,
and oxygen
atoms in the region.
The resulting image highlights the bright
swept-back ridges
that outline pockets of cool
interstellar
dust and gas.
Such embedded, dark,
tendril-shaped clouds contain the
raw material for
star formation and hide
protostars within the obscuring cosmic dust.
Nearly 3,000
light-years
distant, the relatively faint
IC
1396 complex covers a large region on the sky, spanning over 5 degrees.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.