The winning images of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition have been announced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
Spectacular shots of aurora displays, distant spiral galaxies, craters on the Moon, the Space Station passing in front of the Sun, views of Solar System worlds.
Once again, photographers from around the globe submitted their best images as they vied for the title of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024.
Winner – Our Sun and Overall Winner. Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface Created by an Annular Eclipse, by Ryan Imperio, Odessa, Texas, USA
The winning image of Astronomy Photographer of the Year in 2024 is 'Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface Created by an Annular Eclipse', by Ryan Imperio.
The Young Competition was won this year by Daniele Borasi, aged 14 from Italy, who captured a wonderful image of the famous California Nebula.
Winner – Young Competition. NGC 1499, A Dusty California, by Daniele Borsari, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy.
And this year's Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer was awarded to Xin Feng and Miao Gong for their image of the Dolphin Head Nebula.
Winner – Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer. SH2-308: Dolphin Head Nebula, by Xin Feng, Miao Gong, : Ruo'ergai County, Aba County, Sichuan Province, China
Other images that caught our eye from Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 include a drone's view of aurora over Brighton seafront; planet Venus peeking out from behind the Moon; a long-exposure showing Venus and Jupiter setting behind Shanghai skyscrapers; and dwarf planet Ceres passing in front of a spiral galaxy.
See all these images and more by scrolling through our gallery below.
Now in its 16th year, over 700 individuals submitted a total of 3,741 entries to the 2024 competition, from which the judges have selected their favourites.
There are eight categories, as well as two special prizes for the best newcomer and for the most creative processing of data from professional observatories, and a separate competition for entrants under 16.
Gallery: Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 winners
You can see all of the winning photos for yourself at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London from Friday 13 September. For details, visit www.rmg.co.uk/astrophoto.
Winner – Our Sun and Overall Winner. Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface Created by an Annular Eclipse, by Ryan Imperio, Odessa, Texas, USA
Runner Up – Our Sun. Coronal Choronograph by Peter Ward, Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia
Highly Commended – Our Sun. Blue Turns to Red, Our Sun Rotates, by Andras Papp Veszprémvarsány, Györ-Moson-Sopron, Hungary
Winner – Aurorae. Queenstown Aurora, by Larryn Rae,Queenstown, New Zealand
Runner Up – Aurora. The Green Kingdom, by Filip Hrebenda, Laugavegur, Iceland
Highly Commended – Aurora. Aurora Borealis over Brighton Seafront, by Michael Steven Harris, Brighton, East Sussex, UK
Winner – Galaxies. Echoes of the Past, Bence Tóth, Péter Feltóti, Isabis Farm, Namibia.
Runner Up – Galaxies. A Very Deep Look at the Markarian’s Chain, by Jakob Sahner, e-EyE (Entre Encinas y Estrellas) Astronomical Complex, Extremadura, Spain
Highly Commended – Galaxies. M63, The Tidal Streams Around the Sunflower Galaxy, by Sophie Paulin, Jens Unger, Jakob Sahner, e-EyE (Entre Encinas y Estrellas) Astronomical Complex, Extremadura, Spain
Winner – Our Moon. Shadow peaks of Sinus Iridum, by Gábor Balázs, Budapest, Hungary.
Runner Up – Our Moon. Venus and the Moon in Infrared, by Lóránd Fényes, Érd, Pest, Hungary
Highly Commended – Our Moon. Crescent, by Jinyuan Chen, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Runner Up – People and Space. Parallel Lines Over the City, by Ran Shen, Shanghai, China
Highly Commended – People and Space. Big Brother is Watching You, by Matt Jackson, Gallatin County, Montana, USA
Winner – Planets, Comets and Asteroids. On Approach, by Tom Williams, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK.
Runner Up – Planets, Comets and Asteroids. Methane Lights of Jupiter, by Sophie Paulin and Tom Williams, Edelweissspitze, Salzburg, Austria
Highly Commended – Planets, Comets and Asteroids. M100 (The Blowdryer Galaxy) and Ceres, by Damon Mitchell Scotting, El Sauce Observatory, Río Hurtado, Chile
Winner – Skyscapes. Tasman Gems, by Tom Rae, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand
Runner Up – Skyscapes. Symphony of the Night Sky, by Fei Xue, Minqin, Gansu Province, China
Highly Commended – Skyscapes. Like Blue Lava, by Petr Horalek, Medhufaru, Maldives
Winner – Stars and Nebulae. SNR G107.5-5.2, Unexpected Discovery, by Marcel Drechsler, Bray Falls, Yann Sainty, Nicolas Martino, Richard Galli, various locations
Runner Up – Stars and Nebulae. Serpens: A Mosaic, by Mukund Raguram, Throckmorton, Texas, USA
Highly Commended – Stars and Nebulae. Antares Region, by Bence Tóth, Isabis Farm, Namibia
Winner – Young Competition. NGC 1499, A Dusty California, by Daniele Borsari, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy.
Runner Up – Young Competition. IC 405 and IC 410, the Flaming Star and Tadpole Nebulae, by Sonny Chart (aged 15), Crawley, West Sussex, UK
Highly Commended – Young Competition. M106, a Spiral Galaxy, by Benjamin Lawler (aged 8) and Joshua Lawler (aged 10), Tutbury, Staffordshire, UK
Highly Commended – Young Competition. M51: The Whirlpool Galaxy, by ZiYang Chang (aged 14), Yanqing District, Beijing, China
Highly Commended – Young Competition. Double Comet, by Runwei Xu (aged 15), Kangbao County, Hebei Province, China
Winner – Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer. SH2-308: Dolphin Head Nebula, by Xin Feng, Miao Gong, : Ruo'ergai County, Aba County, Sichuan Province, China
Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation. Anatomy of a Habitable Planet, by Sergio Díaz Ruiz. Original data from GOES-18 ABI from 18 February 2024 and Suomi-NPP VIIRS from 2012–2020
