Rising like a ghostly form in the dark recesses of the Cepheus constellation, LDN 1235—also known as the Shark Nebula—prowls the sky in this deep-sky portrait from Rancho Corral Falso, Baja California, Mexico. Composed of cold, dense interstellar dust, this dark nebula blocks background starlight while subtly reflecting that of embedded and nearby stars, particularly the blue ones on its flank.

The Shark Nebula is part of a vast complex of dark nebulae and molecular clouds cataloged by Lynds. Though it appears opaque, careful long-exposure imaging reveals its intricate details and faint blue reflection zones. These regions indicate that the nebula isn't entirely devoid of light, some of the starlight escapes scattering, allowing us to witness its haunting shape against the cosmic backdrop.

Image Description and Details :

Taken from rural Ontario skies.

Equipment: Nikon d810A and Esprit 80 APO.

About 5 hours total exposure.

Processed in Pix.

Copyright Information: Dave Dev