Emission Nebula IC 1396
Sprawling across hundreds of light-years, emission nebula IC 1396 mixes glowing cosmic gas and dark dust clouds . Stars are forming in this area, only about 3,000 light-years from Earth. This detailed view was created in light primarily emitted by hydrogen gas, recorded through a filter that narrowly transmits a wave length characteristic of glowing hydrogen atoms in the nebula. Among the intriguing dark shapes within IC 1396 , the winding Elephant's Trunk nebula lies just left center. IC 1396 lies in the high and far off constellation of Cepheus . APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007