... xxxedit and linkxxx) Like an illustration in a galactic Just So Story, the Elephant's Trunk Nebula winds through the emission nebula and young star cluster complex IC 1396, in the high and far off constellation of Cepheus. Of course, this cosmic elephant's trunk is over 20 light-years long. ... A star forming region cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and dust.. ... Forty years ago, in December of 1968, the Apollo 8 crew flew from the Earth to the Moon and back again. ...