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Credit & Copyright: Chuck Ayoub
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.
Also known as vdB 142,
the cosmic elephant's trunk is over 20 light-years long.
This colorful close-up
view
was recorded
through narrow band filters that transmit
the light from ionized hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen atoms in the region.
The resulting composite 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.
Nearly 3,000
light-years
distant, the relatively faint
IC
1396 complex covers a large region on the sky,
spanning over 5 degrees.
The dramatic scene spans a 1 degree wide field,
about the size of 2 Full Moons.
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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: