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35 ‘Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2019’ Finalists That Took Massive Amounts Of Planning And Precision
Astrophotography is probably one of the most difficult and specialized types of photography to try your hand at, but if you manage to get it right the rewards are some of the most astonishingly breathtaking images you are ever likely to see.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich has just revealed the winners of its annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, and the quality of the entrants was nothing short of spectacular. This year the competition attracted 4,602 entries from 90 different countries across the world, all presenting the universe in a new light and vying for the coveted prize of best picture.
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Aurorae: 'Aurora Is A Bird' By Alexander Stepanenko
Hungarian photographer László Francsics was named the overall winner of Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2019. His bewitching image, 'Into the Shadow', depicts the 35 phases of the total lunar eclipse that occurred on 21 January 2019.
"I started taking astrophotos in 2003 at the age of 19 at the very moment I looked into a small telescope," László told Bored Panda. "I had already been into photography for several years, and one of my friends pulled me into amateur astronomy. I put the two things together immediately."
"For this moon eclipse shot I did not need to travel anywhere, I took this photo at home from the roof-terrace over my house. But for deepsky images (nebulas, galaxies) we have to go to extremely dark places far from settlement, also in Hungary. Hungary is actually a fairly good location in Europe for astrophotography as the light pollution is quite low at certain areas."
László is incredibly proud and honored to win the prestigious award, however he explains that it was not entirely unexpected. His wife knew it was coming! "When I started to process the image after my sleepless night of the capturing, she saw halfready image on my computers screen and told me confidently that it will be the next overall winner, he told us. "She has never said it before, despite I have already took 5 awarded images at the IAPY competition during the past 7 years."
The style of photography, while techincal and difficult, is more accessible than you might think. László says that people are trying it with their mobile phones - you don't need a hundred thousand dollar robotic photo-telescope in the Atacama desert! "In Hungary we have a strong community of astrophotographers, he said. "In 2018, we founded the Hungarian Astrophotographers' Association, of which I became the chairman, and already have 90 members. We organise annual exhibitions, frequent club events, and most of all we go out together to take photos under the starry sky. Our recent great challenge to establish our own astrophoto observing site in Hungary."
Would you like to give it a try? Scroll down below to see the best of the entrants from this year's competition for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Stars And Nebulae: 'Deep In The Heart Of Mordor - Ngc 7293' By Andrew Campbell
Our Sun Winner: 'A Little Fireworks' By Alan Friedman
This image presents a view of the Sun infrequently seen. It reminds me of images viewed through a microscope rather than a telescope. Taking something as huge as our star and presenting it in such fine detail as if observed under the microscope is a real feat of photography.
Oana Sandu, Community Coordinator and Communication Strategy Officer at the European Southern Observatory (ESO)
The use of a different colour palette to our expectations gives us an alternative way to think about the Sun.
Alan Sparrow, Chair of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild and Director of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards
People And Space Winner: 'Ben, Floyd & The Core' By Ben Bush
Cloud cover doesn’t always scupper astronomy. It can complement and frame the sense of awe so long as it keeps in the right place, as captured here.
Jon Culshaw, comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night
Talk about a ’decisive moment!’ Vast yet intimate, breathtaking and touching all in one beautiful image.
Rebecca Roth, Image Coordinator and Social Media Specialist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
I love the story of how Floyd the dog was persuaded to be a part of this fantastic image.
Alan Sparrow, Chair of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild and Director of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards
Skyscapes Highly Commended: 'Flower Power' By Brandon Yoshizawa
Timing is everything. There is no better example of that than this image. However, even the best timing needs an expert eye to make the most of it. The perfect execution of capturing and processing here makes me feel as if I’m standing on the ground witnessing this incredible event.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Looking rather like a special effect from some imaginary spacecraft in a science-fiction story, this image shows hot exhaust from a launching rocket making contact with colder air. Though the initial plume is thin, the changes in atmospheric conditions as the rocket climbs cause the exhaust to surge dramatically outwards, creating the ‘petals’ of the flower. Under the right conditions, minute ice crystals form, reflecting and scattering light from over the horizon, injecting colour into the scene (including rainbow effects). The apparent stillness of the natural landscape and the man-made activity overhead contrast wonderfully, and are dramatically framed.
Edward Bloomer, Planetarium Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Stars And Nebulae: 'Ngc 6164, The Blue Doily' By Josep Drudis
Galaxies Highly Commended: 'Andromeda Galaxy' By Raul Villaverde Fraile
This is a popular deep-sky target imaged to an intensely detailed degree. The bright halo around M31 really shines here. This is not easy to capture without bleaching out detail in the brighter parts of the main galaxy, but the photographer has managed to display fine dust lanes spiralling all the way into a beautifully balanced galactic core.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
I truly believe there are other forms of life on other planets, on other galaxies. We formed like this, it's not impossible for others to form like us.
Aurorae: 'To The Flying Aurora' By Zhijun Yan
Stars And Nebulae: 'Depth And Height, Ngc 7822 Devil's Head Nebulae Complex' By László Bagi
Robotic Scope: 'Sh2-308 Dolphin Head' By Tian Lee
Skyscapes Winner: 'Across The Sky Of History' By Wang Zheng
I was immediately struck by the surrealist quality of this image. There is a calmness about the scene but also a great strength in the twisted form of the dead tree reaching out, both towards the Milky Way and the falling meteor, making a powerful connection between the Earth, near sky and deep sky. The tonal quality and range emphasize the detail, which I can easily lose myself in for quite some time.
Mandy Bailey, Astronomy Secretary for the Royal Astronomy Society
From the movement of the trees to the streak of the meteor, there is symmetry and drama in this shot that feels like it was always there. The decision to de-saturate the image gives it an ageless feel.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Skyscapes: 'Deadvlei' By Stefan Liebermann
Aurorae: 'Aurora Like Phoenix' By Wang Zheng
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'Bloodborne' By Keijo Laitala
I remember as a kid in the Smoky Mountains when we would get a big snow. You could see down into the town (Sevierville/Cherokee Hills) from the front porch. I used to love to go out there and sit. It's amazing how quiet and pure smelling the world is at night with snow on the ground.
Our Moon: 'Mineral Moon - Aristarchus Quadrangle' By Alain Paillou
Aurorae: 'Aurora Outside The Tiny Cave' By Sutie Yang
People And Space Runner-Up: 'Above The Tower' By Sam King
Night-time mist, ancient ruins, ethereal light and the quiet expression of the human presence all make this contemplative scene remind me of the romantic landscapes of the German painter Caspar David Friedrich.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich
Our Moon: 'Sunlight Versus Earthshine' By László Francsics
Stars And Nebulae Runner-Up: 'A Horsehead Curtain Call' By Bob Franke
It takes control to present monochrome images of such colourful objects such as this one. Even more control to produce one as perfectly processed as this of an object notorious for its imaging difficulty.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Skyscapes Runner-Up: 'Galactic Lighthouse' By Ruslan Merzlyakov
The range, balance and framing of this composition are already incredible, yet some intangible ingredient further elevates this image to dizzying heights of surreal beauty. The essence of exploration, from the terrestrial shore to the cosmic shore, with beacons of light both grounded and celestial, is utterly spellbinding.
Tom Kerss, Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Crazy that we miss all that with all the light we flood our cities with... Looking up to this really brings a sense of what you are in this world.... a tiny grain of sand quickly passing by.
Skyscapes: 'Worimi' By Jay Evans
Stars And Nebulae Winner: 'Statue Of Liberty Nebula' By Ignacio Diaz Bobillo
This is simply exquisite! I love the pastel aquamarine and rosy hues, the delicate wisps of gas and dust, the finely drawn features of the nebula.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich
The choice of palette and attention to colour balance lend a fairy-tale quality to this image. Pools of light are perfectly balanced, inviting the eye to explore the abstract sculptural beauty of the nebulae. A superb result.
Tom Kerss, Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Stars And Nebulae Highly Commended: 'The Elegant Elephant's Trunk' By Lluís Romero Ventura
An image of swathes of the universe under construction conveying a grace and beauty at vast distance, which contrasts with the cataclysms and ‘late heavy bombardments’ which are likely taking place at the heart of it.
Jon Culshaw, comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night
Our Sun Highly Commended: 'The Sun - Atmospheric Detail' By Jason Guenzel
I commend the creative and artistic choices made by the photographer in both the colour palette and the highlighting of the prominence with an enhanced atmospheric layer. The final image is spectacular.
Ed Robinson, Award-winning photographer, creative director, visual consultant and founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'The Perseid Fireball 2018' By Zhengye Tang
Stars And Nebulae: 'Fiery Lobster Nebula' By Suavi Lipinski
Stars And Nebulae: 'The Running Man Nebula' By Steven Mohr
Galaxies Runner-Up: 'Hydrogen Sculptures In The Large Magellanic Cloud' By Ignacio Diaz Bobillo
This is a fascinatingly unusual image in its texture and patterns, like endless backlit smoke rings in the corner of a celestial jazz bar.
Jon Culshaw, comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night
Our Sun Runner-Up: 'The Active Area Ar12714' By Gabriel Corban
This is an incredible portrait of the Sun’s untameable fury – a maelstrom of seething plasma we so seldom consider as we bask in its warm rays on a peaceful day.
Tom Kerss, Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Planets, Comets And Asteroids Highly Commended: 'Black Saturn' By Martin Lewis
I’ve loved the monochrome images in this year’s competition and this view of Saturn is no exception. Capturing an image using a methane filter to reveal this type of detail is technically challenging. It gives us a very different view of Saturn and one I found fascinating to explore, wondering what caused the methane to form into such bands.
Mandy Bailey, Astronomy Secretary for the Royal Astronomical Society
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'The Horsehead Nebula' By Rob Mogford
Our Moon: 'Hubble Space Telescope Transits Across The Moon Between Lunar X And Lunar V' By Michael Marston
Stars And Nebulae: 'Ngc 2070 - The Tarantula Nebula' By Thomas Klemmer
Aurorae Winner: 'The Watcher' By Nicolai Brügger
I love the detail in the foreground. It puts a perspective on the aurora and gives a scale to this phenomenon.
Alan Sparrow, Chair of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild and Director of the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards
If an image is worth a thousand words, this one definitely encompasses that. The amount of elements to explore in this frame is impressive. Even more impressive is the way the elements come together in a balanced composition: the Milky Way arch above intersects with the aurora and the human presence points towards the landscape below, which puts up a light show of its own. I especially liked spotting the footprints in the snow.
Oana Sandu, Community Coordinator and Communication Strategy Officer at the European Southern Observatory
Skyscapes: 'Mars Above The Keck Lasers' By Sean Goebel
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint Winner: 'The Jewels Of Orion' By Ross Clark
This is an awe-inspiring photograph that really showcases the skills learnt by this talented astrophotographer. Great composition, colours, balance and drama makes this piece a jewel in itself.
Ed Robinson, award-winning photographer, director, creative director and founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications
A familiar target is made wonderfully vivid by a careful study of the most cutting-edge astrophotography methods. Even with modest equipment this photographer shows tremendous aptitude for the art form.
Tom Kerss, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Young Highly Commended: 'M31 Andromeda Galaxy' By Tom Mogford
The photographer’s appreciation for the Andromeda Galaxy is obvious. This image is beautifully processed. Fine details, such as dust lanes in the larger of the two satellites, are clearly preserved, and the framing celebrates the enormous scale of the scene.
Tom Kerss, Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Our Moon: 'Halo' By Bernt Olsen
Stars And Nebulae: 'The Wolf Nebula: Sl-17' By Andrew Campbell
Skyscapes: 'The Christmas Comet' By Tommy Eliassen
Our Moon Highly Commended: 'Seven-Colour Feather Of The Moon' By Yiming Li
If photography is 'drawing with light', here it seems to be painting with light, with each luminous brushstroke clearly delineated on the boundless canvas of the night sky. A painting that is expressionist in feel with its sense of drama and momentum.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich
Stars And Nebulae: "Melotte 15 In Cassiopeia - The 'Heart Of The Heart'" By Steve Milne, Barry Wilson
Stars And Nebulae: 'Ngc 6543 - The Cat's Eye' By Jason Guenzel
Stars And Nebulae: 'Galactic Artery' By Raul Villaverde Fraile
Our Sun: 'Silent Spring Sun' By Alan Friedman
People And Space: 'Road To Glory' By Nicolai Brügger
Skyscapes: 'Celestial Navigator' By Robin Stuart
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint Winner: 'Sky And Ground, Stars And Sand' By Shuchang Dong
There is so much to enjoy about this picture: moonlight bathing the dunes in its silvery glow; the dramatic shadows seemingly sculpting the sand into cliffs and ravines; and the meeting of cosmic time and geological time.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich
There is great tonal range in this black-and-white image. I love all the lines combined with all the unique formations in the sand dunes.
Rebecca Roth, Image Coordinator and Social Media Specialist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland
A mesmerizing illustration of the night sky’s natural light; the dune sea promises a limitless horizon, yet the stars across the Universe outnumber its grains many times.
Tom Kerss, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Our Moon: 'Archimedes And The Alps' By Bud Martin Budzynski
Our Sun: 'Out On A Limb' By Alastair Woodward
People And Space: 'Desert Light' By Jay Evans
Skyscapes: 'Ageless' By Marcin Zajac
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'Eclipsed Moon Trail And Trees Covered With Snow' By Ximeng Deng
Our Moon Winner And Overall Winner: 'Into The Shadow' By László Francsics
The total lunar eclipse of January 2018 was widely seen across Europe, Africa and the Americas. In this composite photo, the Moon is drifting into the Earth’s shadow from the right to the left. The deep red colour occurs as sunlight, having been filtered through the atmosphere, spills into our planet’s shadow. Such events were once a source of great concern to superstitious onlookers, but eclipses are both benign and predictable, and of course spectacular to witness.
Tom Kerss, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
For a single multiple-exposure image to capture this event with such positional precision, creative innovation and beauty is nothing short of masterful. The colours of our atmosphere projected onto the Moon’s disc during the eclipse are not only artistically pleasing, but also offer an understanding of such events and can reveal aspects of our own, thin, yet essential atmosphere. In a year that celebrates 50 years since the first lunar landings, is it fitting that this year’s overall winning image captures such a dynamic and captivating view of the Moon. A worthy winner indeed.
Ed Robinson, award-winning photographer, director, creative director and founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications
Our Moon: 'Moon Eclipse Over Mount Etna' By Alessia Scarso
This looks like it could be a medieval painting (if you ignore the electric towers)
Stars And Nebulae: 'Gum 12' By Eddie Trimarchi
People And Space: 'Human And The Nature' By Gu Fei
Planets, Comets And Asteroids Winner: 'Death Of Opportunity' By Andy Casely
This is a brilliant sequence that not only communicates the all-consuming, Mars-wide scale of the dust storm, but also represents a poignant epitaph for the Opportunity rover. What incredible science it has given us. Opportunity will lie dormant for a time until a future Martian museum displays the plucky rover, alongside Beagle 2, Viking and all the others, for future settlers to observe with gratitude and amazement.
Jon Culshaw, comedian, impersonator and regular guest on the Sky at Night
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'The Lord Of The Rings And His Court' By Jordi Delpeix Borrell
Aurorae: 'Polar Lights' By Grigorii Paramonov
Planets, Comets And Asteroids Runner-Up: 'Jupiter Unravelled' By Damian Peach
Really this technique is something only space agencies and large observatories usually have the capabilities to produce, so to see it done so well here is a rare treat. Also notable are the surface details on Io; covering just a minute percentage of the main image, albedo markings and tonal differences are clearly seen on its tiny disc.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Our Moon: 'Ink-Spots' By András Papp
Aurorae: 'Dancing In The Goðafoss' By Sutie Yang
Galaxies: 'The Sculptor Galaxy' By Bernard Miller, Martin Pugh
Our Sun: 'Triple Green Flash' By Juan-Carlos Munoz-Mateos
Skyscapes: 'Reflections Of Mount Hooker' By Marc Toso
Our Moon Runner-Up: 'Crescent Moon During The Day' By Rafael Ruiz
At first glance you may not realise how special this image is. Look closer and the pin-sharp detail of every single feature on the visible surface of the Moon shows that it was captured during a split second of perfectly still seeing. The photographer’s subtle processing has kept the natural colour of our daytime Moon intact.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Our Moon: 'Impact Of A Meteoroid During The Total Lunar Eclipse' By Rafael Ruiz
Our Moon: 'A Titanium Moon' By Miguel Claro
Stars And Nebulae: 'The Giant Cosmic Squid Nebula, Ou4' By J-P Metsavainio
Stars And Nebulae: 'A Hole In The Sky' By André Van Her Hoeven
People And Space: 'Albany Milkyway' By Yifan Bai
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'Comet And Mountain' By Kevin Palmer
Robotic Scope Winner: 'Infrared Saturn' By László Francsics
Colourful, abstract, creative and accomplished. I commend the photographer for their exploration and experimentation into colour and light to reveal a spectacular view of Saturn, one that I have never seen in this way before. An inspirational use of robotic scope and a reminder to amateurs that it’s a great and accessible tool to push your imaging, techniques and creativity further.
Ed Robinson, Award-winning photographer, creative director, visual consultant and founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications
Skyscapes: 'Embrace Of The Mountains, Heart Of The Universe!' By Majid Ghohroodi
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'Star Trails Above Everest' By Shuchang-Dong
Young Highly Commended: 'Daytime Venus' By Thea Hutchinson
Venus is very hard to image. It wobbles and shimmers so much as it is so close to the horizon. That this photographer has captured such a perfect shot here is amazing enough, but the use of IR filters shows real dedication to planetary imaging.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Young: 'Polar' By Xiuquan Zhang
Aurorae Runner-Up: 'Aurora Australis From Beerbarrel Beach' By James Stone
I love the colours and reflections of the Aurora Australis. The parallel magnetic field lines show up well in the red aurora and seem to point up to the Magellanic Clouds, contrasting nicely with the diffuse green aurora that draws the eye back down to the foreground.
Mandy Bailey, Astronomy Secretary for the Royal Astronomical Society, and lecturer with the Open University
Galaxies: 'The Mighty 101' By Nan Jiang, Wang Yao, Li Zhirong
Galaxies: 'M82 - The Cigar Galaxy' By Jason Guenzel
Our Sun: 'Active Region 12706 Appearing Over Eastern Solar Limb' By Stuart Green
People And Space: 'Catching Light' By Jason Perry
People And Space: 'Dwarfed By Galaxies' By Ekant Veer
People And Space: 'First Of All' By Alessandro Cantarelli
People And Space: 'At The Edge Of Forever' By William Vrbasso
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'Family Portrait: The King And His Court' By Jordi Delpeix Borrell
Robotic Scope: 'The Carina Nebula' By Petar Babić
Aurorae Highly Commended: 'The Return Of Green Lady' By Ruslan Merzlyakov
There’s a lovely tranquil feeling in this photograph. The subtle colours of the aurora contrasted by the storm clouds and the boat brings this beautiful and unique view to life.
Rebecca Roth, Image Coordinator and Social Media Specialist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA.
Aurorae: 'Incoming Auroae' By Bernt Olsen
Stars And Nebulae: 'Kemble's Cascade' By Alson Wong
Stars And Nebulae: 'Orion' By Raul Villaverde Fraile
Galaxies Winner: 'Shells Of Elliptical Galaxy Ngc 3923 In Hydra' By Rolf Wahl Olsen
The delicate onion-skin structure of this elliptical galaxy has been captured beautifully and tells the story of a galactic merger rippling through space. The colourful stars and other galaxies that accompany the main galaxy add to the mesmeric nature of this stunning image.
Mandy Bailey, Astronomy Secretary for the Royal Astronomy Society
Being used to images from space-based telescopes such as the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope or ground-based images such as those of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), I often get the jaw-drop effect seeing such detailed deep-sky images coming from much smaller telescopes. This is definitely one of those cases.
Oana Sandu, Community Coordinator for the European Southern Observatory.
Galaxies: 'Milky Way Centre' By Péter Feltóti
Galaxies: 'A Pair Of Universes' By Antonio Peña
People And Space: 'The Last Of Us 2.0' By David Ros Garcia
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'Noontime Venus' By Martin Lewis
Robotic Scope: 'The Horsehead And Flame Nebula' By Connor Matherne
Robotic Scope: 'The Dragons Of Ara' By Tian Lee
Robotic Scope: 'Ldn 1622 - The Boogeyman Nebula' By Casey Good
Skyscapes: 'Alstrom Point' By Carlos F. Turienzo
Skyscapes: 'The Remnants' By Marcin Zajac
Skyscapes: 'Grand Finale' By Gordon Mackie
Skyscapes: 'Galactic Coast' By Luke Moseley
Skyscapes: 'View Point' By Nicolai Brügger
Our Moon: 'Lapislazuli Details Of The Moon 2/3' By Ralf Burkart
Aurorae: 'Reflections Of Aurorae And Meteors' By Angel Yu
Our Sun: 'Hubble Crosses The Disc Of The Sun' By Michael Marston
People And Space Highly Commended: 'Cosmic Plughole' By James Stone
This is a portrait of patience, a skill every astrophotographer must hone to succeed. The stellar swirl has a tunnel-like character and the absence of a southern celestial polar star leaves us with an ambiguous ending. It seems to fade out into infinity.
Tom Kerss, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich
People And Space: 'The Plough And City Light' By Ziyi Ye
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'Colourful Encounter' By Gerald Rhemann
Robotic Scope: 'Find The Stellar Jet' By László Francsics
Robotic Scope: 'Carina Homunculus' By Kfir Simon
Robotic Scope: 'Mars After The Global Dust Storm' By Dzmitry Kananovich
Skyscapes: 'Sharafkhaneh Port And Lake Urmia' By Masoud Ghadiri
Young Winner: 'Stellar Flower' By Davy Van Der Hoeven
This shot was my favourite in the category. The quality and detail of the final image are simply stunning considering the limited experience photographers in this category have. If 11-year-olds are so interested in space, and are willing to put in the time and effort to produce such images, I can only be optimistic, not just about the astronomy of the future, but science and technology in general. Well done!”
Oana Sandu, Community Coordinator and Communication Strategy Officer at the European Southern Observatory (ESO)
It’s easy to over-brighten nebulae images without intending to. The photographer here has kept the whole field of view gentle and the contrast is perfect. The astute decision to use the Hubble palette really sets this image apart.
Steve Marsh, Art Editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Young Highly Commended: 'Van Eyck's Moon' By Casper Kentish
What a delightful idea to take inspiration from astronomical images in classic art and hunt them down in reality. The fogging up of the eyepiece was great serendipity as it gives a quality to the image as if van Eyck himself had updated the original.
Jon Culshaw, comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night
Young: 'The Cygnus Wall' By Joseph Stafford
Our Moon: 'Clavius' By Maximilian Teodorescu
Our Moon: 'Coming In To Land At Mare Crisium Spaceport!' By Bud Martin Budzynski
Stars And Nebulae: 'Omega Centauri And Ifn' By Roberto Colombari
Stars And Nebulae: 'An Ocean Of Stars' By Thomas Henne
Galaxies: 'Messier 86 Group In Virgo' By Mark Hanson
Galaxies: 'Ngc 5128/Centaurus A' By Björn Gludau, Torsten Daiber
Robotic Scope: 'Ngc 1365 - The Great Barred Spiral Galaxy' By Casey Good
Young: 'Our Moon' By Tom Mogford
Young: 'The South Way' By Alice Fock Hang
Our Moon: 'Hyginus, Ariadaeus And Triesneker' By Maximilian Teodorescu
Aurorae: 'A Flash Of Colour' By Matt Robinson
Stars And Nebulae: 'Ic4603 - Colours Of Reflection' By Eddie Trimarchi
Stars And Nebulae: 'The Stellar Gull' By Raul Villaverde Fraile
Galaxies: 'Forgotten Beauty Messier 110 – Deep Study' By Maciej Kapkowski
Our Sun: 'Painted Sun' By Łukasz Sujka
Planets, Comets And Asteroids: 'Occultation Of Star By Asteroid' By Derek Robson
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize For Best Newcomer Joint: 'Rosette Nebula, Christmas Tree Cluster And Hydrogen Cloud Widefield' By Ross Clark
Young Runner-Up: 'Ar12699 Sunspot' By Matúš Motlo
Not for the faint-hearted, close-ups of our star are notoriously difficult to achieve, and this young photographer rivals the most seasoned sun chasers! This image shows a great concentration on details, texture and sharply defined sunspots.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art post-1800 at Royal Museums Greenwich