The Elephant’s Trunk Nebula — IC 1396 / Sh2-131

Captured in August 2026 from Bignor Hill in the South Downs National Park, this image combines broadband RGB data taken through a UV/IR-cut filter with narrowband data from the Askar Colour Magic C1 and C2 filters. The C1 recorded hydrogen-alpha and oxygen emissions, while the C2 added sulphur and further oxygen data, allowing me to create an SHO-inspired palette while retaining the natural colour of the stars. Unfortunately, clouds moved in before I could complete the planned narrowband acquisition, forcing me to pause the session earlier than expected. Despite the limited data, I was pleased by how much of the enormous IC 1396 complex emerged. The Elephant’s Trunk appears near the centre of the frame, surrounded by glowing emission, dark interstellar dust and numerous smaller globules. With this wide-field composition, I wanted to show more than the famous trunk itself and reveal the immense scale and complexity of the wider nebula. The narrowband data produced a transition from warmer copper and rust tones to cooler turquoise and blue-green emissions, while the UV/IR-cut data provided the dense, naturally coloured star field.