Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  IC 1396
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IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk, Earle Waghorne
IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk
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IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk, Earle Waghorne
IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk
Powered byPixInsight

IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk

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Description

A giant elephant at a celestial water hole?

IC 1396 is an emission nebula approximately 100 light years across where the gases are energized by the blue multiple star system HD 206267, seen just above the Trunk. The Elephant's Trunk itself is a region of dust and condensed gases around 20 light years long, Within IC1396 there are other regions of condensed gas and dust that appear as dark objects within the nebula. The system is around 2400 light years from earth.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has shown that new stars are forming within the Elephant's Trunk with half a dozen protostars being clearly seen. (The first reference below shows an image showing these.)

The images were taken over three nights, August 25, 26 and 27.


Sources:
https://www.constellation-guide.com/elephants-trunk-nebula/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant%27s_Trunk_Nebula
https://science.nasa.gov/elephants-trunk-nebula-cepheus

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IC 1396 - The Elephant's Trunk, Earle Waghorne