Dragons in the sky? See the breathtaking finalists for Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Royal Observatory Greenwich‘s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has revealed the shortlist for its 16th edition. Like every year, it shares with us incredible astronomical wonders, captured by passionate photographers from all over the world.
This year’s competition saw over 3,500 entries from 58 countries, featuring breathtaking skyscapes, mesmerizing auroras, and distant galaxies. Shortlisted images include an aurora borealis that resembles a dragon, supernova remnants from over 10,000 years ago, and the Geminid meteor shower alongside the Milky Way, to name just a few.
An expert panel of judges will select the winners from nine categories, including:
Skyscapes
Aurorae
People and Space
Our Sun
Our Moon
Planets, Comets and Asteroids
Stars and Nebulae
Galaxies
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year (for photographers under 16)
The overall winner and category winners will be announced on September 12, 2024, alongside two special prizes:
Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer: Awarded to new photographers
Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation: Recognizing exceptional processing of open-source astronomical data.
The winning images will be displayed at a stunning exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in London, opening on September 14, 2024. Visitors can also view a selection of shortlisted photos.
The official competition book, Astronomy Photographer of the Year, Collection 13, will be available at the exhibition and online starting September 14. This beautiful hardcover book features all the shortlisted images with detailed information about each photograph.
If you’re in London, don’t miss this opportunity to witness the universe’s wonders through the lens of talented astrophotographers. And if you’re far, far away, enjoy the gorgeous shortlisted photos below. Make sure to visit the contest’s website for more photos and information.
More photos from Astronomy Photographer of the Year contests
Arctic Dragon © Carina Letelier Baeza/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Fire-Spitting Dragon © Moritz Telser/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
A Night with the Valkyries © Jose Miguel Picon Chimelis/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Galaxy Devourer © ShaRa/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
A Milky Way Mimic © Kevin Morefield/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Inner Dust Lanes of M104 (The Sombrero Galaxy) © Kevin Morefield/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Hunter’s Moon and the ISS © Tom Glenn/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The International Space Station Daytime Moon Transit © Kelvin Hennessy/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Solar Pulsation © Wenlian Li/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
A Whale Sailing the Sun © Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Palette of the Himalayas © Geshuang Chen/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Total Solar Eclipse © Gwenaël Blanck/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Cosmos in Reflection © Jianfeng Dai/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Run to Carina © Vikas Chander/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Observations at Night © Jakob Sahner/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Abandoned House © Stefan Liebermann/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Dance of Jupiter’s Moons © Marco Lorenzi/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
M100 (The Blowdryer Galaxy) and Ceres © Damon Mitchell Scotting/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Saturn with Six Moons © Andy Casely/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Earth and Milky Way Galaxy Show © Yoshiki Abe/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Ancestral Rocks © Andrea Curzi/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
A Cosmic Firework: the Geminid Meteor Shower © Jakob Sahner/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Serpentine © Paul Haworth/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Auroral Touch: the Milky Way’s Close Encounter © Chester Hall-Fernandez/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Scream of a Dying Star © Yann Sainty/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Misty Mountains © Bence Tóth/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
GUM 12: the Gum Nebula (Vela Supernova Remnant) © Charles Pevsner/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
The Blue Details of M45: The Pleiades © Sándor Biliczki/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
M81, a Grand Design Spiral Galaxy © Holden Aimar/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Martian Dementors © Leonardo Di Maggio/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
