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Photography

The 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist is out of this world

By Rich Haridy
July 04, 2022
The 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist is out of this world
Stars and Nebulae. NGC 6888 – The Crescent Nebula. A deep view of the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus, the result of shockwaves originating from the Wolf–Rayet star WR 134. Taken with a ZWO-ASI6200MM-Cool camera, 3654 mm f/9, 45 hours of 10-minute exposures
Stars and Nebulae. NGC 6888 – The Crescent Nebula. A deep view of the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus, the result of shockwaves originating from the Wolf–Rayet star WR 134. Taken with a ZWO-ASI6200MM-Cool camera, 3654 mm f/9, 45 hours of 10-minute exposures
View 28 Images
Annie Maunder Award for Innovation. Busy Star.
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Annie Maunder Award for Innovation. Busy Star. Using open source data from NOAA GOES-16, Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI)
Annie Maunder Award for Innovation. Earth Cyanotype. This is a cyanotype photographic print, an alternative photographic process discovered by astronomer John Herschel in 1842. The image was first converted to black and white, turned into a digital negative, then printed onto acetate, placed on top of the cyanotype coated paper and set outside in sunlight to develop.
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Annie Maunder Award for Innovation. Earth Cyanotype. This is a cyanotype photographic print, an alternative photographic process discovered by astronomer John Herschel in 1842. The image was first converted to black and white, turned into a digital negative, then printed onto acetate, placed on top of the cyanotype coated paper and set outside in sunlight to develop.
Aurorae. Spectrum. The Northern Lights over the famous Icelandic mountain, Vestrahorn. A panorama of three photos, processed with Lightroom and Photoshop
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Aurorae. Spectrum. The Northern Lights over the famous Icelandic mountain, Vestrahorn. A panorama of three photos, processed with Lightroom and Photoshop
Aurorae. Solar Wind Power. A vivid auroral corona behind the wind turbine gives the illusion of an interaction between the two. Taken with Canon R5 camera, at 14 mm f/2.8, 2-second exposure
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Aurorae. Solar Wind Power. A vivid auroral corona behind the wind turbine gives the illusion of an interaction between the two. Taken with Canon R5 camera, at 14 mm f/2.8, 2-second exposure
Aurorae. An Icelandic Saga. The Aurora Borealis above the wreck of the Gardur in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Taken with Canon 6D Mark II camera, 24mm f/2, ISO 400, 10-second exposure
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Aurorae. An Icelandic Saga. The Aurora Borealis above the wreck of the Gardur in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Taken with Canon 6D Mark II camera, 24mm f/2, ISO 400, 10-second exposure
Galaxies. Arp 271: Cosmic Collision. NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are two spiral galaxies of similar size engaged in a major interaction. Known collectively as Arp 27 , the interaction is expected to continue for tens of millions of years. Taken with CDK 1000 telescope, FLI 16803 camera,6000 mm f/6, 32 hours total exposure. RGB values captured using RiDK 700 FL 4900 telescope
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Galaxies. Arp 271: Cosmic Collision. NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are two spiral galaxies of similar size engaged in a major interaction. Known collectively as Arp 27 , the interaction is expected to continue for tens of millions of years. Taken with CDK 1000 telescope, FLI 16803 camera,6000 mm f/6, 32 hours total exposure. RGB values captured using RiDK 700 FL 4900 telescope
Galaxies. Hydra’s Pinwheel. The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. The image combines a deep set of H-alpha exposures along with colour data to highlight the ruby-like star-forming regions of this beautiful barred spiral galaxy. Taken with SBIG STX-16803 and QHY 600M cameras, at 3400 mm f/8, exposure of 5 hours (H-alpha) and 6 hours (RGB)
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Galaxies. Hydra’s Pinwheel. The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. The image combines a deep set of H-alpha exposures along with colour data to highlight the ruby-like star-forming regions of this beautiful barred spiral galaxy. Taken with SBIG STX-16803 and QHY 600M cameras, at 3400 mm f/8, exposure of 5 hours (H-alpha) and 6 hours (RGB)
Galaxies. Interacting Galaxies in Eridanus. They are so close to one another that gravitational forces have distorted one of the spiral arms of the larger galaxy, NGC 1532. These forces have triggered bursts of star formation in both galaxies, but more so in NGC 1532, where a new generation of massive stars has been created.
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Galaxies. Interacting Galaxies in Eridanus. They are so close to one another that gravitational forces have distorted one of the spiral arms of the larger galaxy, NGC 1532. These forces have triggered bursts of star formation in both galaxies, but more so in NGC 1532, where a new generation of massive stars has been created.
Moon. Above the Lunar South Pole. A composite of images of the lunar south pole created on two different dates (giving different views of the region). Taken with ZWO ASI183MM camera, 610-nm pass and green filters, 2350 mm f/10. A composite of two images, first: 500 x 10-millisecond exposures; second 250 x 18-milliseond exposures.
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Moon. Above the Lunar South Pole. A composite of images of the lunar south pole created on two different dates (giving different views of the region). Taken with ZWO ASI183MM camera, 610-nm pass and green filters, 2350 mm f/10. A composite of two images, first: 500 x 10-millisecond exposures; second 250 x 18-milliseond exposures.
Moon. Fly over the South Pole. Due to favourable libration, in this image you can see the craters and mountains at the lunar south pole, including the crater Bailly (with its discernible basin) on the right. Under Bailly are the craters Bettinus, Kircher and Wilson. The Montes Leibnitz are visible on the edge. Taken with a ZWO ASI178MM camera, Newton 405mm ‘Ares’ f/4.5 and Barlow 2.7x lens.
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Moon. Fly over the South Pole. Due to favourable libration, in this image you can see the craters and mountains at the lunar south pole, including the crater Bailly (with its discernible basin) on the right. Under Bailly are the craters Bettinus, Kircher and Wilson. The Montes Leibnitz are visible on the edge. Taken with a ZWO ASI178MM camera, Newton 405mm ‘Ares’ f/4.5 and Barlow 2.7x lens.
People & Space. Riverside of Funakawa in Spring. Taken with Sony ILCE-7RM3 camera, 24 mm f/8, ISO 800, 13-second exposure. Asahi, Shimoniikawa, Toyama, Japan
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People & Space. Riverside of Funakawa in Spring. Taken with Sony ILCE-7RM3 camera, 24 mm f/8, ISO 800, 13-second exposure. Asahi, Shimoniikawa, Toyama, Japan
People & Space. The Starry Sky Over the World’s Highest National Highway. The illuminated National Highway 219, the highest national highway in the world. Taken with SIGMA ILCE-1 camera, 20 mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 245-second total exposure. Shannan, Tibet.
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People & Space. The Starry Sky Over the World’s Highest National Highway. The illuminated National Highway 219, the highest national highway in the world. Taken with SIGMA ILCE-1 camera, 20 mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 245-second total exposure. Shannan, Tibet.
People & Space. Stacks and Stones. Taken with Nikon Z 6 Mark II camera, ISO 800., with Foreground: 24mm f/4, 300-second exposure. Sky:35mm f/4, 6 x 240-second exposures. St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, UK
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People & Space. Stacks and Stones. Taken with Nikon Z 6 Mark II camera, ISO 800., with Foreground: 24mm f/4, 300-second exposure. Sky:35mm f/4, 6 x 240-second exposures. St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, UK
People & Space. Equinox Moon and Glastonbury Tor. A single exposure captures people enjoying the full Harvest Moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor in the United Kingdom in September 2021. Taken with Sigma 150–600 mm telescope, SLIK tripod, Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, 600 mm f/6.37, 1/8-second exposure
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People & Space. Equinox Moon and Glastonbury Tor. A single exposure captures people enjoying the full Harvest Moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor in the United Kingdom in September 2021. Taken with Sigma 150–600 mm telescope, SLIK tripod, Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, 600 mm f/6.37, 1/8-second exposure
Planets, Comets & Asteroids. The Jovian Family. Jupiter captured with three of its largest moons. The famous Great Red Spot is visible on Jupiter itself, along with many other spots and storms. Similar details are also visible on all three of the Jovian moons. Taken with ZWO ASI174MM camera, multiple video frames
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Planets, Comets & Asteroids. The Jovian Family. Jupiter captured with three of its largest moons. The famous Great Red Spot is visible on Jupiter itself, along with many other spots and storms. Similar details are also visible on all three of the Jovian moons. Taken with ZWO ASI174MM camera, multiple video frames
Planets, Comets & Asteroids. Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard). Comet Leonard was discovered by G.J. Leonard on 3 January 2021 and made its closest pass to Earth on 12 December 2021. The photographer secured some time with the robotic telescope at the Skygems Remote Observatories in Namibia on 27 December to capture this rare glimpse of a comet that will leave the Solar System and not be seen again
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Planets, Comets & Asteroids. Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard). Comet Leonard was discovered by G.J. Leonard on 3 January 2021 and made its closest pass to Earth on 12 December 2021. The photographer secured some time with the robotic telescope at the Skygems Remote Observatories in Namibia on 27 December to capture this rare glimpse of a comet that will leave the Solar System and not be seen again
Planets, Comets & Asteroids. Saturn and its Moons. Saturn’s moons are distributed almost symmetrically around the planet, balancing the composition of the photograph. Taken with SVBONY SV305 camera, 1200 mm f/17, IR-cut filter, 0.02-second exposure
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Planets, Comets & Asteroids. Saturn and its Moons. Saturn’s moons are distributed almost symmetrically around the planet, balancing the composition of the photograph. Taken with SVBONY SV305 camera, 1200 mm f/17, IR-cut filter, 0.02-second exposure
Skyscapes. Ladder to the Stars. A stacked shot with 15 single exposures, taken in May 2021 at Shiroka Polyana Dam, one of the darkest spots in Bulgaria. Taken with Sony A7 III camera, 17 mm f/2.8, ISO 6400, 20-second exposure
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Skyscapes. Ladder to the Stars. A stacked shot with 15 single exposures, taken in May 2021 at Shiroka Polyana Dam, one of the darkest spots in Bulgaria. Taken with Sony A7 III camera, 17 mm f/2.8, ISO 6400, 20-second exposure
Skyscapes. Chidiya Tapu. The nature reserve at Chidiya Tapu. Taken with Sony A7III camera, 12mm f/11 and f/2.8, ISO 100/800, 30-second and 240-second exposures
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Skyscapes. Chidiya Tapu. The nature reserve at Chidiya Tapu. Taken with Sony A7III camera, 12mm f/11 and f/2.8, ISO 100/800, 30-second and 240-second exposures
Skyscapes. Diagonal. The Milky Way rises above the research pier of the Marine Research Institute in Japan. Taken with Nikon Z7 camera, 20mm f/1.8 lens. Sky: ISO 1600, 60-second exposure (stack of 35 frames). Foreground: ISO 2200, 30-second exposure (stack of 10 frames)
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Skyscapes. Diagonal. The Milky Way rises above the research pier of the Marine Research Institute in Japan. Taken with Nikon Z7 camera, 20mm f/1.8 lens. Sky: ISO 1600, 60-second exposure (stack of 35 frames). Foreground: ISO 2200, 30-second exposure (stack of 10 frames)
Stars and Nebulae. NGC 6888 – The Crescent Nebula. A deep view of the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus, the result of shockwaves originating from the Wolf–Rayet star WR 134. Taken with a ZWO-ASI6200MM-Cool camera, 3654 mm f/9, 45 hours of 10-minute exposures
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Stars and Nebulae. NGC 6888 – The Crescent Nebula. A deep view of the Crescent Nebula in Cygnus, the result of shockwaves originating from the Wolf–Rayet star WR 134. Taken with a ZWO-ASI6200MM-Cool camera, 3654 mm f/9, 45 hours of 10-minute exposures
Stars and Nebulae. Suburbs of Carina Nebula. Taken with a QHY 600 camera, 1252mm f/7.2, 54 x 5-minute exposures in H-alpha and 61 x 5-min exposures in OIII (5 hours 24 minutes total exposure)
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Stars and Nebulae. Suburbs of Carina Nebula. Taken with a QHY 600 camera, 1252mm f/7.2, 54 x 5-minute exposures in H-alpha and 61 x 5-min exposures in OIII (5 hours 24 minutes total exposure)
Stars and Nebulae. The Rolling Waves of Vela. This image captures a region on the edge of the constellation Vela. Taken with ZWO ASI2600MM Pro camera, 1125 mm f/4, 9 x 300-second R/G/B exposures, 91 x 300- second H-alpha exposures, 53x 300-second SII exposures
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Stars and Nebulae. The Rolling Waves of Vela. This image captures a region on the edge of the constellation Vela. Taken with ZWO ASI2600MM Pro camera, 1125 mm f/4, 9 x 300-second R/G/B exposures, 91 x 300- second H-alpha exposures, 53x 300-second SII exposures
Sun. Solar Inferno. Taken with Basler acA1920-155um camera, 5100 mm f/34, 2,500 x 0.02-second exposures (50-second total exposure). Using a home-built telescope fitted with a Lunt 35 H-alpha etalon filter
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Sun. Solar Inferno. Taken with Basler acA1920-155um camera, 5100 mm f/34, 2,500 x 0.02-second exposures (50-second total exposure). Using a home-built telescope fitted with a Lunt 35 H-alpha etalon filter
Sun. Clouds of Hydrogen Gas. Taken with QHYCCD QHY5III-174M camera, 5040mm f/33.6, 1000 x 12-millisecond frame exposures
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Sun. Clouds of Hydrogen Gas. Taken with QHYCCD QHY5III-174M camera, 5040mm f/33.6, 1000 x 12-millisecond frame exposures
Sun. Partial Eclipse of the Sun in H-alpha. A partial eclipse of the Sun shot from the Veneto region of Italy as it reached its maximum on 10 June 2021. Taken with QHYCCD QHYCCD183C camera, using a cooled Canon 200 mm f/4 with a Daystar Quark Prominence lens
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Sun. Partial Eclipse of the Sun in H-alpha. A partial eclipse of the Sun shot from the Veneto region of Italy as it reached its maximum on 10 June 2021. Taken with QHYCCD QHYCCD183C camera, using a cooled Canon 200 mm f/4 with a Daystar Quark Prominence lens
Young. IC 1871 – A Little Devil Riding on the Head of a Dragon. This image shows the nebula IC 1848 and its core, IC 1871
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Young. IC 1871 – A Little Devil Riding on the Head of a Dragon. This image shows the nebula IC 1848 and its core, IC 1871
Young. Pickering’s Triangle in Light-Polluted City. Taken with SONY IMX533 and ZWO ASI533MC PRO cameras, 714mm f/7, 6-hour total exposure
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Young. Pickering’s Triangle in Light-Polluted City. Taken with SONY IMX533 and ZWO ASI533MC PRO cameras, 714mm f/7, 6-hour total exposure
View gallery - 28 images

Perhaps the greatest space photography competition in the universe, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year has revealed its 2022 shortlist and its nothing short of spectacular. Here are some handpicked highlights, from a stunning moonrise over an ancient English tower to a surreal glimpse of the Milky Way above the highest motorway in the world.

People & Space. The Starry Sky Over the World’s Highest National Highway. The illuminated National Highway 219, the highest national highway in the world. Taken with SIGMA ILCE-1 camera, 20 mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 245-second total exposure. Shannan, Tibet.
People & Space. The Starry Sky Over the World’s Highest National Highway. The illuminated National Highway 219, the highest national highway in the world. Taken with SIGMA ILCE-1 camera, 20 mm f/2.8, ISO 800, 245-second total exposure. Shannan, Tibet.

In its 14th year the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest covers a broad range of astrophotography styles, including complex shots of galaxies or nebulae and stylish night photography placing the landscape of our planet in front of the wonders of the galaxy. This year the contest spanned nine main categories (covering everything from Planets, Comets, and Aurorae, to the Moon and the Sun), alongside a special Youth category and two special prizes focusing on the best newcomer and the most innovative photography.

People & Space. Equinox Moon and Glastonbury Tor. A single exposure captures people enjoying the full Harvest Moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor in the United Kingdom in September 2021. Taken with Sigma 150–600 mm telescope, SLIK tripod, Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, 600 mm f/6.37, 1/8-second exposure
People & Space. Equinox Moon and Glastonbury Tor. A single exposure captures people enjoying the full Harvest Moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor in the United Kingdom in September 2021. Taken with Sigma 150–600 mm telescope, SLIK tripod, Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, 600 mm f/6.37, 1/8-second exposure

More than 3,000 images were submitted this year, across 67 different countries. Many shots came from enthusiastic amateurs, such as Hannah Rochford’s incredible shot of a massive orange Moon rising over an iconic English hill.

“The perspective never fails to excite me,” explained Rochford. “I took this from a few miles away from the Tor to get that ‘gigantic’ Moon look. A lot of people think that this is a composite, but it is one image. I took it with my 10-year-old, second-hand Canon camera.”

Aurorae. An Icelandic Saga. The Aurora Borealis above the wreck of the Gardur in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Taken with Canon 6D Mark II camera, 24mm f/2, ISO 400, 10-second exposure
Aurorae. An Icelandic Saga. The Aurora Borealis above the wreck of the Gardur in the Westfjords region of Iceland. Taken with Canon 6D Mark II camera, 24mm f/2, ISO 400, 10-second exposure

Other earthbound highlights include Carl Gallagher’s gorgeous shot of the Aurora Borealis in front of a wrecked whaling ship in Iceland. Gallagher is keen to stress his shot was a single exposure and not stitched or stacked.

“It was quite a powerful experience to see this rusting vessel, once a whaling ship, now sitting on the beach at the end of the fjord with the aurora just beginning to appear through gaps in the cloud,” said Gallagher. “I never stack, blend or stitch images – it’s just a simple, single, moment in time.”

Sun. Clouds of Hydrogen Gas. Taken with QHYCCD QHY5III-174M camera, 5040mm f/33.6, 1000 x 12-millisecond frame exposures
Sun. Clouds of Hydrogen Gas. Taken with QHYCCD QHY5III-174M camera, 5040mm f/33.6, 1000 x 12-millisecond frame exposures

Other shots are certainly more otherworldly, from incredible views of our neighbors the Moon, or our Sun, to intergalactic jaunts glimpsing mind bending nebulae. Take a look through the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year gallery for more highlights from this year’s shortlist.

The winners will be announced on September 15.

Source: Royal Museum Greenwich

View gallery - 28 images

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Rich Haridy
Rich Haridy
Rich has written for a number of online and print publications over the last decade while also acting as film critic for several radio broadcasters and podcasts. His interests focus on psychedelic science, new media, and science oddities. Rich completed his Masters degree in the Arts back in 2013 before joining New Atlas in 2016.

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