NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for 30 October 2026 features an image titled "Haunting the Cepheus Flare", dedicated to a region of the constellation Cepheus known for its star-forming activity and for harboring nebulae with evocative shapes. The photograph is part of the daily series the agency has published since 1995, in which a different image of the cosmos is selected each day along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

The Cepheus Flare region is a complex of interstellar gas and dust located a few hundred light-years from the Solar System. Within it lie dark and reflection nebulae, among them the so-called Witch Head (IC 2118 or NGC 1909, depending on the catalogue), whose irregular dust shapes lit by nearby stars recall ghostly silhouettes — an association the APOD image plays on in its title.

APOD is a joint initiative of NASA and Michigan Technological University that selects an astronomical photograph each day — from professional observatories, amateur astrophotographers or space missions — and accompanies it with a popular-science text. The site also offers a searchable archive dating back to its launch, a topical index, a calendar and an RSS feed, and is aimed at the general public as well as teachers and students looking for supporting material for astronomy education.