Elephant's Trunk Nebula
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula, designated IC 1396A, is a dense, elongated region of interstellar gas and dust within the larger IC 1396 emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus. Shaped by stellar winds and radiation from nearby massive stars, it is an active site of star formation.
Source: noirlab.edu
APODs including "Elephant's Trunk Nebula"
Emission Nebula IC 1396
24/12/2007
Sprawling across hundreds of light-years, emission nebula IC 1396 mixes glowing cosmic gas and dark dust clouds. Stars are forming in this area, only about 3,000 light-years from Earth. This detailed view was created in light primarily emitted by hydrogen gas, recorded through a filter that narrowly transmits a wavelength characteristic of glowing hydrogen atoms in the nebula. Among the intriguing dark shapes within IC 1396, the winding Elephant's Trunk nebula lies just left center. IC 1396 lies in the high and far off constellation of Cepheus. APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007