APOD: 2026 September 10 – LDN 1295: The Giraffe Nebula
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APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 September 10 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. LDN 1295: The […]
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Explanation: What does this image look like to you? Many see a giraffe facing right, with neck stretched high and long legs mid-stride (but some may see a squirrel instead). The featured image shows LDN 1295 , also called the Giraffe Nebula, in the constellation of the mythical queen of Aethiopia ( Cassiopeia ). It is an object in the Lynds Catalogue of Dark Nebulas , compiled in 1962 by American astronomer Beverly Lynds , a pioneer for women in astronomy and astrophysics. Dark nebulas are interstellar clouds of dust and gas that block the visible light of the stars behind them . These nebulas are often faint and challenging targets for astrophotographers. Why do we see animal shapes and faces in nebulas, clouds, and pretty much everywhere ? It is due to pareidolia , our tendency to look for familiar patterns . Pareidolia may provide animals with an evolutionary advantage , for example in identifying (and avoiding) predators.
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