NASA Highlights LDN 1295, the 'Giraffe Nebula,' a Dark Nebula in Cassiopeia

NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is a long-running series that features a different image of the universe each day, along with a brief explanation from a professional astronomer. The picture chosen for September 10, 2026, is LDN 1295, nicknamed the Giraffe Nebula, which lies in the constellation Cassiopeia — named for the mythical queen of Aethiopia.

LDN 1295 is a dark nebula, catalogued in the Lynds Catalogue of Dark Nebulas (LDN), which was compiled in 1962 by American astronomer Beverly Lynds, described by NASA as a pioneer for women in astronomy and astrophysics. Dark nebulae are interstellar clouds of dust and gas that block the visible light of stars behind them, and they are often faint, challenging targets for astrophotographers.

In the image, many viewers make out the shape of a giraffe facing right, with its neck stretched high and its legs appearing to be caught mid-stride. NASA notes that some observers instead see a squirrel in the same dark cloud.

NASA attributes the effect to pareidolia, the human tendency to look for familiar patterns — in clouds, nebulas and, as the agency puts it, 'pretty much everywhere.' Pareidolia may give animals an evolutionary advantage, NASA notes, for example by helping them identify and avoid predators.