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Emission nebula

The Elephant's Trunk Nebula

Also IC 1396 · Sh 2-131

Open in OuranosCompare its size

A huge glowing region in Cepheus, with a dense, elongated cloud of gas — the Elephant's Trunk — inside it.

Measured

Distance
about 2,988 light-years (published estimates 2,952–3,069)
Size
about 126 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Cepheus
Position (J2000)
RA 21h 38m 59s, Dec +57.51°

How far, from the Sun

About 2,990 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light2,990 years
  • Voyager 1's speed53.1 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h32.2 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It is lit mostly by one massive star system, HD 206267.
  • Its distance comes from where stars behind it start to look dimmed and reddened by its dust, measured with Gaia.

Where this comes from

  • Zucker et al. 2020, A&A 633, A51 (916 pc on the sightline used; their sightlines across the cloud span 905–941 pc)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.