The Pacman Nebula (NGC 281) is a bright emission nebula located in the constellation Cassiopeia, about 9,200 light-years away from Earth. Its nickname comes from its resemblance to the video game character “Pac-Man,” with a dark dust lane cutting into its glowing region. The nebula spans roughly 48 light-years across and is part of the Perseus Spiral Arm of the Milky Way. NGC 281 is an active star-forming region, containing Bok globules—dense, dark clouds of dust where new stars are born—as well as the open star cluster IC 1590, whose hot young stars illuminate the nebula. Strong stellar winds and radiation carve intricate structures within the gas and dust, making the Pacman Nebula a popular astrophotography target for its striking mix of emission glow and dark features.