- H330 minutes (66 frames)
- O300 minutes (60 frames)
- G65 minutes (13 frames)
- S270 minutes (54 frames)
- B50 minutes (10 frames)
- R70 minutes (14 frames)
- L70 minutes (14 frames)
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) is part of the bright emission nebula and young star cluster IC 1396, located in the constellation Cepheus at a distance of about 2,400 light-years from Earth. The object is a globule, a dense collection of interstellar gas and dust, that has attracted the attention of astronomers due to its unique shape, resembling an elephant's trunk.
Structure and Composition
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula has a distinct rim, which is the surface of a dense cloud illuminated and ionized by the massive star HD 206267, located to the east of IC 1396A. This stellar radiation ionizes the gas in the nebula, but the dense globules of gas shield themselves from this ultraviolet radiation. These dense regions of gas remain unionized and create dark areas against the brighter nebula.
Star Formation and Young Stars
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is an active star forming region where new stars are being born. The nebula contains many young stars and protostars, some aged between 100,000 and 1 million years. These stars were discovered in infrared images taken in 2003. Stars can be seen in the center of the globule, creating a stellar wind that is blowing out a small cavity in the center of the nebula.
Influence of Massive Stars
The massive stars in the center of the nebula have a significant impact on their surroundings. The radiation from these stars and the stellar wind cause the gas in the nebula to be strongly compressed, stimulating star formation. As a result, up to 250 young stars, less than 100,000 years old, were detected in infrared images.
Location and Size
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is just one element of a larger region, IC 1396, which is a region of gas and dust about 100 light-years in diameter in the constellation Cepheus. This region is actively ionized by the star HD 206267, which is the source of energy for the entire region. The Elephant's Trunk itself is about 20 light-years long.
Conclusion
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) is a unique object for observation and research due to its bright color and active star formation processes. This object allows astronomers to study the dynamics of gas clouds and processes associated with star formation, as well as the development of young stellar systems. The discovery of such objects helps scientists better understand the evolution of interstellar clouds and their influence on the formation of stars in our galaxy.
| Photo | Date | Frames | Exposure | L | R | G | B | H | O | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 28 Jun 2023 | 231 | 19:15 | 01:10 | 01:10 | 01:05 | 00:50 | 05:30 | 05:00 | 04:30 |
 | 04 Jun 2022 | 231 | 19:15 | 01:10 | 01:10 | 01:05 | 00:50 | 05:30 | 05:00 | 04:30 |
 | 20 Oct 2020 | 231 | 19:15 | 01:10 | 01:10 | 01:05 | 00:50 | 05:30 | 05:00 | 04:30 |
Visibility chart of Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396A) during the day
| Date | Moon Phase | Exposure | CCD Temperature | Gain | Offset | Filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- 2023ixf•
- 40 Eri•
- Abell 74•
- Artemis A868 SA•
- a Canis Minoris•
- C 2020 R4 ATLAS•
- C 2020 T2 Palomar•
- C 2021 S3 (PANSTARRS)•
- Haumea (2003 EL61)•
- HCG 68•
- HCG 92•
- IC 1318B•
- IC 1396•
- IC 1795•
- IC 1805•
- IC 1848•
- IC 1871•
- IC 3322A•
- IC 342•
- IC 4015•
- IC 405•
- IC 417•
- IC 434•
- IC 443•
- IC 4703•
- IC 5070•
- IC 5146•
- IC 63•
- M 1•
- M 101•
- M 103•
- M 109•
- M 13•
- M 15•
- M 27•
- M 3•
- M 33•
- M 42•
- M 45•
- M 5•
- M 51•
- M 57•
- M 63•
- M 64•
- M 74•
- M 76•
- M 81•
- M 82•
- M 86•
- M 87•
- M 94•
- M 97•
- NGC 147•
- NGC 1491•
- NGC 1499•
- NGC 1579•
- NGC 1961•
- NGC 2146•
- NGC 2239•
- NGC 2403•
- NGC 281•
- NGC 4236•
- NGC 4565•
- NGC 4631•
- NGC 507•
- NGC 508•
- NGC 5866•
- NGC 5907•
- NGC 6503•
- NGC 6823•
- NGC 6888•
- NGC 6946•
- NGC 6992•
- NGC 6995•
- NGC 7000•
- NGC 7023•
- NGC 7129•
- NGC 7217•
- NGC 7331•
- NGC 7380•
- NGC 7538•
- NGC 7635•
- NGC 7640•
- NGC 7822•
- NGC 891•
- NGC 896•
- NGC 925•
- PGC 54559•
- Sh2-155•
- Sh2-168•
- Sh2 103•
- Sh2 109•
- Sh2 132•
- T CrB•
- UGC 6930•
- V1405 Cas•
- Vesta A807 FA•