Kuwaiti photographer Ali Alobaidly has beaten thousands of amateur and professional photographers from around the world to bag the 2026 Royal Observatory Greenwich’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year.
The image – The Quiet Predator – captures the Shark Nebula, which lies almost 650 light years away in the constellation Cepheus. The nebula is made of interstellar dust dense enough to block starlight with the blue-coloured areas in the image being “reflection nebulae” – clouds of interstellar dust that do not emit their own visible light but rather scatters and reflects light from nearby stars.
The image was taken in August 2025 with an Askar 140 APO telescope from the Jahra Governorate, Kuwait.
Sam Wen, founder and chief executive office of the astrophotography firm ZWO, says the image “is a stunning blend of technical excellence and artistic vision”.
“Showcasing the intricate structures of a rarely photographed nebula, the image combines remarkable detail with a striking composition and colour palette, inviting viewers to explore the hidden beauty of the cosmos,” adds Wen.
Alobaidly says it is a “tremendous honour” to receive the award.
“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,” adds Alobaidly. “To me, it represents perfectly my love for both the Universe and the deserts of my ancestors.”
Alobaidly now hopes to continue using astrophotography for outreach and scientific research.
As well as winning the £10,000 top prize, the image will go on display along with other selected pictures from the competition at an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum observatory on 18 September.
The award – now in its 18th year – is run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in association with ZWO and BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
