Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396)

IC 1396
IC 1396: TS-Optics Photoline 130 mm f/7 FPL-53 Triplet APO Refractor at f/7; ZWO ASI EAF TS-Flat 2.5, ZWO-M68-OAG, ZWO ASI6200MM PRO; Skywatcher EQ8; 12 x 900s H-alpha (7nm) and 15 x 900s OIII (12 nm), Bin 1x1 (total 6h 45m); Switzerland; © 11 Aug - 2 Sep 2021 Michael Steffen [709]
IC 1396
IC 1396: Elephant Trunk Nebula and Garnet Star in Cepheus; SMC Pentax 67 300 mm f/4.0 ED Green Star @ f/4.0; Canon EOS Ra; 10 Micron GM 2000 QCI Ultraportable; 36x5 min @ 800 ASA; Muri b. Bern, 515 m AMSL; © 10.-11. 8. 2021 Manuel Jung [45]
IC 1396
IC 1396: Elephant Trunk Nebula; Celestron RASA 11" f/2.22; ZWO ASI6200 Pro; Tentlingen; © 2020 Peter Kocher [33]
IC 1396
IC 1396: Elephant Trunk Nebula; Astrooptik Keller Cassegrain 400mm f/3, SBIG STL-11000M; Filter L + R + G + B + SII + Hα + OIII, total 12h; Observatory Oberes Schlierental, Obwalden; © 6.-11. 10. 2010 Eduard von Bergen [30]
IC 1396
IC 1396: Elephant Trunk with globule in IC 1396; 500 mm Cassegrain f=3625 mm f/7.2; SBIG STL11K; 120+3*40 min; Bernese Highlands; © 2011 Radek Chromik [32]

History

The galactic nebula IC 1396 was discovered photographically in August 1893 by the astronomer Edward Barnard. [196] The Canadian astronomer Sidney van den Bergh discovered a reflection nebula on the photo plates of the "Palomar Sky Survey" in the elephant trunk near the star BD + 57 ° 2309 (HD 239710), which he recorded as vdB 142 in his 1966 catalog of reflection nebulae. He noted: Type I-II (star partly inside, partly outside the nebula), moderate brightness, colour blue, very strong absorption, radius 0.3 '(red) to 0.6' (blue). [255]

Physical Properties

IC 1396 is a large H-II region with an angular diameter of about 3°, which is home to areas of active star formation, so-called globules. The most noticeable globule is the Elephant Trunk Nebula (also often referred to as IC 1396A). This is illuminated by the trapezoid-like, variable O-type multiple star system HD 206267 located 4.5 pc away (see Fig. 3). According to Gaia DR2 measurements, this star is 945+90-73 pc from Earth. The main structure of IC 1396A measures approximately 5.4 arcminutes (about 1.4 pc) in diameter. Behind it, more dark globules and ionized, glowing gas extend over half a degree. This structure is only a small part of the large, bubble-shaped nebula around the star cluster Trumpler 37 or Collinder 439, which typically contains many variables for a young star cluster. [360, 361]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
Name RA Dec Type Dim MD Dreyer Description Identification, Remarks
IC 1396 21 38 54.0 +57 29 20 EN 170 × 140 0.800 Neb part of M. Way LBN 451/452; SG 1.19
IC 1396 A 21 35 30.0 +57 23 00 EN 14 × 2 Neb part of M. Way LBN 452
IC 1396 B 21 34 30.0 +57 28 00 EN 12 × 4 Neb part of M. Way LBN 451

Dark Nebulae

Data from Simbad [145]
Name Type RA
(J2000.0)
Dec
(J2000.0)
Rvel
[km/s]
z Size
[']
Identifiers
Barnard 160 DNe 21h 38m 12s +56° 14' 00" 31 × 31 Barnard 160; LDN 1088; TGU H585; TGU H585 P1; [DB2002b] G98.34+2.88
Barnard 161 DNe 21h 40m 24s +57° 49' 00" 4.5 0.000015 Barnard 161
Barnard 162 DNe 21h 41m 12s +56° 19' 00" Barnard 162
Barnard 163 DNe 21h 42m 15s +56° 43' 44" 4.6 0.000015 Barnard 163; LDN 1106
Barnard 365 DNe 21h 34m 54s +56° 43' 00" Barnard 365
Barnard 367 DNe 21h 44m 36s +57° 12' 00" 5 × 5 Barnard 367; LDN 1113; [DB2002b] G99.65+3.02

Finder Chart

The galactic nebula IC 1396 is located in the constellation Cepheus, which is best visible from January to December.

Cepheus: Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396)
Finder Chart Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396)
always
08:55 | 79.3°
never
Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. Times are shown for timezone UTC, Latitude 46.7996°, Longitude 8.23225°, Horizon height 5°, Date 2025-03-25. [149, 160]

Objects Within a Radius of 10°

References