Elephants Trunk Nebula, IC 1396, A Brief Look

This NASA Spitzer Space Telescope image reveals a glowing stellar nursery embedded within the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, an elongated dark globule within the emission nebula IC 1396 in the constellation of Cepheus. Located at a distance of 2,450 light-years, the globule is a condensation of dense gas that is barely surviving the strong ionizing radiation from a nearby massive star. The globule is being compressed by the surrounding ionized gas. The Spitzer Space Telescope pierces through the obscuration to reveal the birth of new protostars, or embryonic stars, and previously unseen young stars.

Photos Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/W. Reach (SSC/Caltech) -
Chuck Ayoub
Daviddayag

Song Credit:
Universe, space ambient background music for fideos (creative commons)
Music: Universe - SergePavkinMusic