VdB 142, the Elephant Trunk Nebula (Fall 2015)

This wonderfully large and dramatic scene is caused by the bright multiple star---actually a small cluster of stars unresolvable with this camera setup---at the top left, named HD 206267. One of the cluster stars, HC 206267A, is a multiple star with a combined type O! At least three of the stars in the multiple are type O. Many of the other stars in the cluster are also large and bright. Source. The system puts out fantastic amounts of energy, including X-rays. Our source provides that the cluster is about 3 million years old---very young for a group of stars.

This scene is part of a larger nebula called collectively IC 1396, lit up mostly by HD206267.  It appears in the constellation Cepheus.  This narrowband data is 18;16;16 x1800" of SHO from DSW's FSQ.