The dust clouds in Chameleon gather in a striking formation reminiscent of a cosmic woodpecker lurking among the stars. Thick dust lanes define the bird’s arched head and pointed beak, while gauzy, silver-blue nebular light drifts outward like ruffled plumage. Regions such as the one seen here are often referred to as dark nebulae and where thick interstellar dust obscure the light emanating from the stars behind them. Light from some of the hot blue stars are able to break thru these clouds of dust creating areas of reflection. The entire scene feels dynamic, as if the cosmic “woodpecker” is chiselling its way through interstellar clouds shaped by gravity, radiation, and time….