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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.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: IC 1396 - emission nebula
Publications with words: IC 1396 - emission nebula
See also:
- APOD: 2024 May 1 Á IC 1795: The Fishhead Nebula
- APOD: 2024 April 24 Á Dragons Egg Bipolar Emission Nebula
- APOD: 2024 March 13 Á The Seagull Nebula
- APOD: 2024 February 21 Á Seagull Nebula over Pinnacles Peak
- NGC 1893 and the Tadpoles of IC 410
- The Light, the Dark, and the Dusty
- APOD: 2023 December 13 Á Deep Field: The Heart Nebula