Emission Nebula IC 1396 is Part of the large molecular cloud known as the Cepheus Bubble, IC 1396 is an HII region of star formation. The nebula is visually quite large, spanning three degrees in our nighttime sky. The entire nebula is illuminated by the hot blue supergiant at the center of the nebula.

Within the nebula is IC 1396A - the Elephant Trunk Nebula  The nebula also contains numerous comet shaped Bok globules - the dark nebulae scattered throughout the field of view.

Top image is a two panel Mosaic of the entire region.  The bright star at the bottom is Mu-Cephei or “The Garnett Star”.  Lower panel is Zoomed Crop of the Elephant Trunk Nebula.

Imaging Data

Date: 8-29 through 9-1-2014

Location : Sudbury, Massachusetts

Optics : Televue-85 with .8X Reducer-Flattener

Filter(s) : Astronomik CLS-CCD and Astronomik 12nm Ha

Mount : Astrophysics Mach-1 GTO

Autoguiding : CoSTAR through Stellarvue 60mm Finderscope and PHD Guiding Software

Camera : Canon EOS 1000D Astro-modified

Exposure info :  33 x 480 sec at ISO 1600 HA Data

Total Exposure : 4,4 Hours

Processing:  Pixinsight

Ha Image