Winding across the stars in ghostly blues and reds, LBN 437 is a dark nebula in the constellation Lacerta that has become affectionately known as the Gecko Nebula due to its striking, reptilian shape. This beautifully composed image from Cinctorres, Valencian County, Spain, captures both the glowing hydrogen emission and delicate reflection nebulae as interstellar dust swirls around young, hot stars embedded in the cloud.

The Gecko’s “head,” illuminated by nearby stars, appears to glow with subtle blue hues while the reddish background is caused by hydrogen-alpha emission. These faint structures are part of the larger Cepheus Flare region, a vast complex of gas and dust in our Milky Way where new stars are forming. Images like this reveal the dynamic sculpting forces of stellar radiation, gravity, and time.