The Quiet Predator, Ali Alobaidly's deep-sky portrait of the Shark Nebula (LDN 1235), won the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026. The dark nebula, about 650 light-years away in Cepheus, was imaged from Jahra Governorate, Kuwait, with a total integration time of 28 hours 30 minutes. Judges praised the technical precision and the way faint background galaxies are resolved through the dust. The winning print will be shown at the National Maritime Museum in London from 18 September 2026.
'The Quiet Predator' — Shark Nebula Wins ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026 After 28.5-Hour Capture
Overall winner of the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026: The Quiet Predator. | Credit: © Ali Alobaidly
The Quiet Predator, a deep-sky portrait of the Shark Nebula (LDN 1235), has been named the overall winner of the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026, the world's largest astrophotography competition, announced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The award-winning image was captured by astronomer and astrophotographer Ali Alobaidly and will be displayed at the National Maritime Museum, London.
The Shark Nebula is a dark nebula located roughly 650 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. Composed of dense interstellar dust, it blocks background starlight; the blue-hued regions visible in Alobaidly's photograph are reflection nebulae illuminated by nearby stars.
Alobaidly photographed the seldom-seen target from Jahra Governorate, Kuwait, on the nights of 21–22 August 2025. The final image is the product of an exceptionally long integration time: 28 hours and 30 minutes of total exposure, allowing striking contrast between the opaque dust lanes and faint background galaxies.
'The juxtaposition of an oceanic predator prowling the skies above the Kuwaiti desert is something I find deeply poetic, and it is what first drew me to this remarkable region of the sky. To me, it represents perfectly my love for both the Universe and the deserts of my ancestors.' — Ali Alobaidly
'The Shark Nebula is already a striking object, but 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.' — Steve Marsh, Art Editor, BBC Sky at Night Magazine (judge)
Capture Details
Location and Dates: Jahra Governorate, Kuwait — 21–22 August 2025.
Equipment:
- Askar 140 APO telescope
- Sky-Watcher EQ8-R equatorial mount
- ZWO ASI2600MM Pro camera
- Optics: 784 mm f/5.6 (equivalent focal length with 0.8x reducer ~ 140 mm)
- Gain: 100
Exposure Breakdown (Total Integration: 28 h 30 min):
- 168 x 300-second Luminance (L) exposures
- 60 x 300-second Red (R) exposures
- 60 x 300-second Green (G) exposures
- 48 x 300-second Blue (B) exposures
Exhibition and Where to See It
The print of The Quiet Predator will be exhibited with other category winners in the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition opening at the National Maritime Museum (part of Royal Museums Greenwich), London, on 18 September 2026. For the full gallery of winners and further information, visit the Royal Museums Greenwich website.
Credit: © Ali Alobaidly
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