Astronomy Picture Of The Day Explore the cosmos Every day, a new image or photograph of the fascinating universe is presented along with a short explanation by an astronomer. 2021 August 27
Elephant's Trunk & Caravan
Robert Eder, Copyright & Image Credit
Explanation: The Elephant's Trunk Nebula, which is a representation in a galactic Just So Story's illustration, winds through the emission nebula complex IC1396 and the young star cluster complex IC1396 in the far-off constellation Cepheus. Also called vdB142, the trunk of the cosmic elephant is more than 20 light-years in length. Digital processing has removed visible stars from this telescopic close up view. It highlights the bright, swept-back hills that highlight cool pockets of interstellar gas and dust. The dark clouds with tendril-shaped shapes contain the raw material necessary for star formation and conceal protostars within. The relatively small IC 1396 complex, which is located nearly 3,000 light years away, covers a vast area of the sky that spans over 5 degrees. The starless version spans 1 degree across the field of view, which is about the same angular size as 2 full moons. The Caravan is the name given to the dark shapes below and right as they march toward the winding Elephant's Trunk.
