The striking dark column near the top right of this image is known as the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, a dense region of interstellar gas and dust located within the vast emission nebula IC 1396 in the constellation Cepheus. Sculpted by the intense ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds from young, massive stars, this elongated structure is a stellar nursery where new stars are actively forming inside its dusty recesses. The vivid palette highlights sulfur in orange tones, hydrogen in greenish hues, and oxygen in blue, revealing the complex interplay of elements in this dynamic region.

IC 1396 spans over 100 light-years and lies roughly 2,400 light-years from Earth. Despite its immense size, the Elephant's Trunk feature itself measures about 20 light-years long. This image offers a glimpse into the processes of star birth, where collapsing clouds ignite to create new suns, continuing the cosmic cycle of matter and energy.

IC 1396 is a stunning emission nebula located in the constellation Cepheus. The bright central star, HD 206267, ionizes the surrounding gas, causing it to glow in brilliant hues of red and blue. The nebula's distinctive shape, often referred to as the "Elephant Trunk," is created by dense columns of gas and dust that shield the nebula's interior from the ionizing radiation. The trunk of the elephant is also a site of ongoing star formation, with several young stars visible within the structure. IC 1396 is a beautiful example of the ongoing processes of stellar birth and death in our galaxy.

INFO
IC 1396 spans hundreds of light years at distance of about 3000 light years in constellation Cepheus. The famous formation of glowing gases, the "Elephant's Trunk Nebula" can be seen at four o'clock position. This is an active star formation region and it has several massive young stars inside it, coursing the ionization of elements of this emission nebula.

Technical details Processing workflow Image acquisition, MaxiDL v5.07. Stacked and calibrated in CCDStack2. Deconvolution with a CCDStack2 Positive Constraint, 33 iterations, added at 50% weight Color combine in PS CS3 Levels and curves in PS CS3. Imaging optics Tokina AT-x f2.8 camera lens Mount 10-micron 1000 Cameras and filters Imaging camera Apogee Alta U16 and Apogee seven slot filter wheel Guider camera, Lodestar x 2 and an old spotting scope of Meade LX200
Astrodon filters,
5nm H-alpha 3nm S-II and 3nm O-III Total exposure time for all of the four panels
H-alpha, 12 x 600 s, binned 1x1 = 2 h
O-III, 6x 600 s, binned 4x4 = 1 h.
S-II, 3 x 600 s. binned 4x4 = 0,5 h

Copyright: J-P Mets̈avainio