Spectacular image of the Shark Nebula wins Royal Observatory Greenwich prize
The picture – The Quiet Predator– was taken by Kuwaiti photographer Ali Alobaidly The post Spectacular image of the Shark Nebula wins Royal Observatory Greenwich prize appeared first on Physics World .
Kuwaiti photographer Ali Alobaidly has triumphed over thousands of global competitors to claim the 2026 Royal Observatory Greenwich’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year award for his striking image of the Shark Nebula. The photograph, titled "The Quiet Predator," captures the nebula, which resides nearly 650 light years away in the constellation Cepheus.
Composed of dense interstellar dust, the nebula appears blue in the image, with the blue regions representing reflection nebulae – clouds of dust that do not emit light but scatter and reflect it from nearby stars. Alobaidly captured the image in August 2025 using an Askar 140 APO telescope from Jahra Governorate, Kuwait. ZWO’s founder and CEO, Sam Wen, praised the image as a "stunning blend of technical excellence and artistic vision," noting its ability to showcase the nebula's intricate structures and enthralling colour palette.
Alobaidly described the award as a "tremendous honour," explaining that the nebula's resemblance to an "oceanic predator prowling the skies above the Kuwaiti desert" deeply resonated with him. The image will be displayed alongside other selected works from the competition at an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum observatory on September 18th.
This now-annual competition, organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in partnership with ZWO and BBC Sky at Night Magazine, offers a £10,000 top prize and aims to promote astrophotography for both outreach and scientific research.
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