APOD: 2026 August 20 – The Elephant’s Trunk in Cepheus
The post APOD: 2026 August 20 – The Elephant’s Trunk in Cepheus appeared first on NASA Science .
Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day showcases the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, located within the emission region and young star cluster complex IC 1396 in the constellation Cepheus. Also known as vdB 142, this nebula spans over 20 light-years in length. The intricate telescopic view reveals bright, swept-back ridges and pockets of cool interstellar dust and gas.
However, the dark, tendril-shaped clouds play a crucial role in the region, containing the raw material for star formation and sheltering protostars within. With a distance of nearly 3,000 light-years, the IC 1396 complex spans across a large portion of the sky, covering over 5 degrees. The depicted image spans an almost 1-degree wide field of view, which is less than the angular size of 2 full moons.
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- APOD: 2026 August 20 – The Elephant’s Trunk in Cepheus science.nasa.gov
