A 2x2 mosaic of IC 1396 featuring the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula and surrounding dark nebulae.
🌌 Overview
- Name: IC 1396
- Includes: The Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (vdB 142)
- Constellation: Cepheus
- Distance: ~2,400 light-years
- Apparent Size: ~3° wide
- Type: Emission nebula with dark Bok globules and embedded star-forming regions
🧩 About This Mosaic
This is a 2x2 panel mosaic capturing the full breadth of IC 1396, an immense star-forming region located in the northern constellation Cepheus. The field showcases:
- The Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (left side), a long, dark pillar of gas and dust shaped by stellar winds
- Numerous Bok globules — small, dense pockets of gas likely to collapse into new stars
- Glowing hydrogen gas (Hα) surrounding bright young stars within the IC 1396 complex
🔭 Scientific Importance
- The Elephant’s Trunk is a region of active star formation, shaped by radiation from nearby massive stars
- IC 1396 is part of a larger star-forming complex that spans hundreds of light-years
- The nebula is illuminated by HD 206267, a bright O-type star at its center
📷 Equipment & Imaging Notes
- Telescope: TS-Optics 80PHQ (544mm f/6.8 Quintuplet APO)
- Camera: SVBONY SV605MC (IMX533 Mono)
- Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ5 Pro
- Guiding: Off-Axis Guider with veLOX 178 C
- Filters: LRGB / Hα (mosaic blended)
- Acquisition Software: NINA, PHD2
- Processing Software: PixInsight, Photoshop
- Mosaic Layout: 2x2, long exposure integration per panel
📝 Final Thoughts
This mosaic highlights the stunning variety of cosmic structures within IC 1396 — from bright emission zones to dark nebulae and dust clouds. It’s an excellent example of the richness of deep-sky imaging with mosaics.
When space is stitched together with patience, the result is nothing short of cosmic art.
Clear skies!