IC 1396
IC 1396 is a large emission nebula and star-forming region located about 2,400 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. Spanning over 3 degrees in the sky, it is illuminated by a hot, massive O-type star near its center and contains several dark globules, including the Elephant's Trunk Nebula.
Source: noirlab.edu
APODs including "IC 1396"
The Elephant's Trunk in IC 1396
20/07/2001
Like a picture from 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. Bright swept-back ridges compose the suggestive form, outlining pockets of interstellar dust and gas. Such embedded dark, comet-shaped clouds contain the raw material for star formation. About 3,000 light-years distant, the relatively faint IC 1396 complex covers a much larger region on the sky than shown here, with an apparent width of more than 10 full moons. This close-up telescopic view is a delightful color mosaic of two digital images intended to follow the 'satiable curious cosmic trunk.