Space

Night sky shines in 15th Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist

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Celestial Equator Above First World War Trench Memorial by Louis Leroux-Gere, taken in Hauts de France, France. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Louis Leroux-Gere
Arctic Gates by Daniel Viñé Garcia, taken in Raufarhöfn, Iceland. Shortlisted in the Aurora category
Daniel Viñé Garcia
Curtain of Light by Andreas Ettl, taken in Lofoten Islands, Norway. Shortlisted in the Aurorae category
Andreas Ettl
Aurora Over the Great Pollet Sea Arch by Brendan Alexander, taken in County Donegal, Ireland. Shortlisted in the Aurora category
Brendan Alexander
Emerald Roots by Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti, taken in Stokksnes, Iceland. Shortlisted in the Aurorae category
Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti
Cassinified Pluto by Sergio Díaz Ruiz, simulating an engraved print. Shortlisted for the Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation
Sergio Díaz Ruiz
Eastern Veil: NGC6992/6995 by Jia You, taken in Hebei Province, China. Shortlisted for the Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer
Jia You
Radio Polaris by João Yordanov Serralheiro, taken in Cambridge, UK. Shortlisted for the Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer
Nebulae of the Small Magellanic Cloud by Jonathan Lodge, taken in New South Wales, Australia. Shortlisted in the Galaxies category
Jonathan Lodge
NGC 1097 and Tidal Tails by Mark Hanson and Mike Selby, taken in Río Hurtado, Chile. Shortlisted in the Galaxies category
Mark Hanson and Mike Selby
NGC 3521: Marquise in the Sky by Mark Hanson and Mike Selby, taken in Río Hurtado, Chile. Shortlisted in the Galaxies category
Mark Hanson and Mike Selby
Ball of Rock by Rich Addis, taken in Merseyside, UK. Shortlisted in the Our Moon category
Rich Addis
Mare Crisium: From Light to Dark by Andrea Vanoni, taken in Lombardi, Italy. Shortlisted in the Our Moon category
Andrea Vanoni
Crescent Moon in a Magical Sunset by Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau, taken in Santa Fe, Argentina. Shortlisted in the Our Moon category
Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau
Grazing Mammoths by Rafael Schmall, taken in Zselickisfalud, Hungary. Shortlisted in the Our Sun category
Rafael Schmall
The Great Solar Flare by Mehmet Ergün, taken in Traisen, Germany. Shortlisted in the Our Sun category
Mehmet Ergün
Solar Flare X1 from AR2994 in 'Motion' by Miguel Claro, taken in Evora District, Portugal. Shortlisted in the Our Sun category
Miguel Claro
Chinese Space Station Transits Active Sun by Letian Wang, taken in Beijing, China. Shortlisted in the People & Space category
Letian Wang
Sperrgebiet by Vikas Chander, taken in Namib Desert, Namibia. Shortlisted in the People & Space category
Vikas Chander
Pandora's Box by Derek Horlock, taken in Alyko Beach Naxos, Greece. Shortlisted in the People & Space category
Derek Horlock
Dolbadarn Castle, Home of Welsh Princes by Robert Price, taken in Gwynedd, Wales. Shortlisted in the People & Space category
Robert Price
Colourful Saturn by Damian Peach, taken in Marley Vale, Barbados. Shortlisted in the Planets, Comets & Asteroids category
Damian Peach
C/2021 A1 (Leonard) in Sky of Israel by Alex Savenok, taken in Negev Desert, Israel. Shortlisted in the Planets, Comets & Asteroids category
Alex Savenok
Dance of the Moons by Damian Peach, taken in Marley Vale, Barbados. Shortlisted in the Planets, Comets & Asteroids category
Damian Peach
Comet 2022 E3 Above Snowy Mount Etna by Dario Giannobile, taken in Sicily, Italy. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Dario Giannobile
Celestial Equator Above First World War Trench Memorial by Louis Leroux-Gere, taken in Hauts de France, France. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Louis Leroux-Gere
On Top of the Dream by Jeff Graphy, taken in Queyras, France. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Jeff Graphy
Dune by Burak Esenbey, taken in White Desert National Park, Egypt. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Burak Esenbey
Solargraph 209 days by Ksawery Wróbel, taken in Illinois, USA. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Ksawery Wróbel
St Agnes by Derek Horlock, taken in Isles of Scilly, UK. Shortlisted in the Skyscapes category
Derek Horlock
Jellyfish Nebula by Peter Larkin, taken in Vaud, Switzerland. Shortlisted in the Stars & Nebulae category
Peter Larkin
The Majestic Tarantula Nebula by Steeve Body, taken in Victoria, Australia. Shortlisted in the Stars & Nebulae category
Steeve Body
RCW 58: Wolf Rayet Bubble by Mark Hanson and Mike Selby, taken in Río Hurtado, Chile. Shortlisted in the Stars & Nebulae category
Mark Hanson and Mike Selby
Pleione's Daughters by Andre Vilhena, taken in Santa Susana, Portugal. Shortlisted in the Stars & Nebulae category
Andre Vilhena
The Milky Way by Kush Chandaria, taken in Okavango Delta, Botswana. Shortlisted in the Young category
Kush Chandaria
View gallery - 34 images

There are few photography subjects more fascinating and beautiful than the cosmos itself, and the annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition highlights that. The shortlist for 2023 has now been published, starring some stunning shots of the Sun, our majestic Milky Way, and awe-inspiring aurorae.

Run by Royal Museums Greenwich in the UK, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year is the world’s largest competition of its kind, and as past galleries attest, it always attracts some incredible images from astrophotographers around the world.

Now in its 15th year, the 2023 shortlist features a range of subjects across the competition’s usual categories. That includes detailed photos of our Sun and Moon, glamor shots of galaxies, and the swirling patterns of nebulae. Others contrast celestial and Earthly scapes, showing the Milky Way, comets, aurorae, or star tracks across the night sky above an equally mesmerizing landmark.

The Great Solar Flare by Mehmet Ergün, taken in Traisen, Germany. Shortlisted in the Our Sun category
Mehmet Ergün

Among the highlights are The Great Solar Flare by Mehmet Ergün, which shows our Sun in sharper detail than we’re used to seeing. Photographed using an H-alpha solar telescope, the image captures the texture of our local star, including a huge solar flare. But let's not forget the mind-blowing scale on show here: “According to our calculation, this solar flare is about 700,000 km (435,000 miles) long,” Ergün said. “Earth has a diameter of about 12,700 km (7,890 miles).”

Another highlight is Pandora’s Box by Derek Horlock. The Milky Way lurks in the night sky above the Greek island of Naxos, contrasted with a painting of the mythological figure Pandora by Balinese artist Wild Drawing, on the wall of an abandoned hotel.

Pandora's Box by Derek Horlock, taken in Alyko Beach Naxos, Greece. Shortlisted in the People & Space category
Derek Horlock

The winners of each category, two special prizes and the overall winner will be announced on September 14, 2023. In the meantime, take a stroll through our gallery at the other shortlisted images.

Source: Royal Museums Greenwich

View gallery - 34 images
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