Shark Nebula wins world's largest photo contest

Ali Alobaidly's image of the Shark Nebula won the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year, the world's biggest astrophotography competition run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

The nebula is 650 light-years away

The Shark Nebula, also known as LDN 1235, is a dark nebula made of dense interstellar dust located in the constellation Cepheus, 650 light-years from Earth.

It took over 28 hours to capture

Alobaidly spent 28 hours and 30 minutes photographing the nebula from Kuwait's Jahra Governorate on August 21 and 22, 2025, using specialized telescope and camera equipment.

The image shows extraordinary detail

BBC Sky at Night Magazine judge Steve Marsh praised the image for pin-sharp details and the ability to see distant galaxies through the nebula's dust.

“when it is resolved to the point where even detail-rich distant galaxies can be seen through it, you know you're looking at something very special.”

A poetic connection to home

Alobaidly was drawn to the nebula because it resembles an oceanic predator prowling the desert sky, reflecting his love for both the universe and his ancestral deserts.

“The juxtaposition of an oceanic predator prowling the skies above the Kuwaiti desert is something I find deeply poetic.”

Exhibition opens in London this fall

The winning image will be displayed alongside other category winners at the National Maritime Museum in London starting September 18, 2026.