Dark & emission nebula
Elephant’s Trunk Nebula
A dark pillar inside the glowing cloud IC 1396
1 of 2: Close view
What is it?
A dense pillar of gas and dust within the larger star-forming region IC 1396. Its familiar name describes the shape we see projected onto the sky.
What can you see?
Look near the lower middle for a dark, narrow structure with a brighter rim. It stands out because dust blocks some of the background light while the surrounding gas glows.
Is the dark part empty?
No. Dust can make a dense region look darker than the space around it. Hot nearby stars illuminate and erode the pillar. This one photograph shows its outline, rather than a measured three-dimensional model.
Behind the photo · optional experiment
Put dust in the light’s way
Turn a dusty pillar around. Change how much material lies in the light path and see why more matter can look darker.
Journey illustration · not a photographExplore the dust pillar
This experiment changes the physics or the viewpoint. Your photograph stays as the reference observation.
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