IC1396A, Elephant Trunk Nebula
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Science History Images / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
HRJ6NYFile size:
30.3 MB (2.1 MB Compressed download)Releases:
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3600 x 2945 px | 30.5 x 24.9 cm | 12 x 9.8 inches | 300dpiPhotographer:
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This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage.
Elephant's Trunk nebula from NASA's WISE, shows clouds of dust and gas being pushed and eroded by a massive star. The bright trunk of the nebula near the center is an especially dense cloud holding up against the star's powerful radiation and stellar wind, like a windsock standing strong while the rest of the gas and dust gets broken up and swept away. Nebulae 'trunks' are formed in basically the same way - a nearby massive star (or cluster) emits vast amounts of ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds that clear out all of the gas and dust surrounding it, leaving behind only the most dense parts of the cloud. These dense portions then protect some of the gas 'downwind' creating a trunk-like feature. The culprit star here, HR8281, is located close the center of the image. It's one of the three bright blue stars near the upper left tip of the trunk that form a triangle about as wide as the glowing tip of the trunk. The entire nebula, also known as IC1396A, fills most of the field of view. If you look closely at the tip of the elephant trunk you can see a small dark area, appearing as a sort of opening.