IC1396 · Elephant's Trunk Nebula
| Chinese name | 象鼻星云 |
|---|---|
| Type | Emission nebula |
| Constellation | Cep |
| RA | 21h39m |
| Dec | +57° |
| Apparent magnitude | 3.5ᵐ |
| Hemisphere | Northern |
| Best season | Autumn |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Focal length | 广角/中焦 135–400mm |
About
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is a sinuous dark dust pillar within the vast emission nebula IC 1396, the whole complex lying about 2,400 light-years away in Cepheus near the Garnet Star. This trunk (IC 1396A) is a dense, gravitationally collapsing region forming new stars, its bright rim lit and eroded by intense radiation from the central hot multiple star HD 206267. The entire IC 1396 spans over 100 light-years and covers several full-moon widths, dominated by red hydrogen emission with bluish reflection mixed in. Its low surface brightness suits wide-field narrowband exposures, making it a popular autumn Cepheus target rich in both color and structure.