Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024: The Best Winning Photos Revealed
The Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition, now in its 16th year, celebrates extraordinary space photography from all corners of the world. Organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this prestigious contest highlights the skills of amateur photographers in capturing the wonders of the universe. The competition has grown to attract more than 3,500 entries from 58 countries. This year’s top prize goes to Ryan Imperio from the United States for his captivating image of the 2023 annular solar eclipse.
Summary
- Overall winner: Ryan Imperio’s image of the 2023 annular solar eclipse, showcasing Bailey’s beads.
- Skyscapes winner: Tom Rae’s photo of hydrogen clouds above Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand.
- Galaxies winner: Bence Toth and Peter Feltoti’s photo of the galaxy NGC 5128 and its tidal wave system.
- Our Moon winner: Gabor Balazs’ image of Sinus Iridum, the “Bay of Rainbows.”
- Aurorae winner: Larryn Rae’s panoramic photo of a rare pink and red Aurora Australis in Queenstown, New Zealand.
- Planets, Comets, and Asteroids winner: Tom Williams’ false-color composite of the phases of Venus.
- People and Space winner: Tom Williams’ silhouette of the International Space Station against the Sun.
- Stars and Nebulae winner: A supernova remnant in the constellation Cassiopeia by Marcel Drechsler and team.
- Best Newcomer Prize: Xin Feng and Miao Gong’s image of the Dolphin Head Nebula.
- Image Innovation Prize: Sergio Diaz Ruiz’s depiction of Earth using color mapping.
- Young Competition winner: Daniele Borsari’s stunning photo of the Californian Nebula.
- Themes explored: Solar eclipses, aurorae, galactic structures, lunar landscapes, planetary alignments, supernovae, nebulae, and more.
The Main Article
The Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is an annual celebration of both the beauty and mystery of the universe. Each year, the competition showcases a diverse range of astrophotography, highlighting the talent and passion of photographers from all walks of life.
For 2024, the Royal Observatory Greenwich once again delivered a showcase of breathtaking images that captured the attention of the world. From celestial events like solar eclipses to deep space structures such as nebulae and galaxies, these photos give us a new perspective on the universe.
Overall Winner: Ryan Imperio – “Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface”
Ryan Imperio’s image, “Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface,” was selected as the overall winner of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024. His photograph captured the fleeting phenomenon known as Baily’s beads during the 2023 annular solar eclipse. Baily’s beads occur when sunlight shines through the valleys and craters on the Moon’s surface during an eclipse, creating a dazzling display of light fragments around the moon.
Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn, one of the competition judges, praised Imperio’s work, stating,
“This is an impressive dissection of the fleeting few seconds during the visibility of the Baily’s beads. It’s exceptional work deserving of high recognition.”
| Photographer | Location | Subject | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Imperio | Texas, United States | Annular Solar Eclipse, Baily’s Beads | Composite of 30 images |
The image stands as a testament to the rare and stunning beauty of the universe, capturing a brief moment that most people miss during a solar eclipse.
Skyscapes Winner: Tom Rae – “Tasman Gems”
Tom Rae’s photograph “Tasman Gems” showcases the beauty of the southern hemisphere’s night sky, specifically Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand. The photograph captures the peaks of the Tasman Valley, set against the hydrogen clouds of the Gum Nebula, creating a stunning contrast between earth and sky.
Galaxies Winner: Bence Toth and Peter Feltoti – “Echoes of the Past”
The galaxy NGC 5128 is also called Centaurus A. It is one of the closest active galaxies to Earth. Bence Toth and Peter Feltoti took this picture. It shows the swirling, chaotic patterns of the galaxy’s tidal wave system. These patterns come from collisions with other galaxies in the past. The picture captures a remarkable amount of detail for something so far away from us.
Our Moon Winner: Gabor Balazs – “Shadow Peaks of Sinus Iridum”
Sinus Iridum, also known as the Bay of Rainbows, has always been a captivating feature of our Moon. Balazs’s photo captures this 260 km-wide basin, bordered by smaller craters. The sharp contrasts and rugged terrain present in this image highlight the beauty and intricacies of the lunar surface.
Aurorae Winner: Larryn Rae – “Queenstown Aurora”
Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, is a breathtaking phenomenon visible in the southern hemisphere. Larryn Rae captured a rare sight – a pink and red-hued Aurora Australis over the mountains in Queenstown, New Zealand. The vibrant colors of the aurora are rare and occur due to the interaction between solar particles and the Earth’s magnetic field at lower altitudes, producing red and pink hues.
| Photographer | Location | Aurora Type | Color Spectrum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larryn Rae | Queenstown, New Zealand | Aurora Australis | Pink and Red |
This image adds a unique perspective to the natural wonder of auroras, which are typically seen in shades of green and blue.
Planets, Comets, and Asteroids Winner: Tom Williams – “On Approach”
Tom Williams’s false-color composite of Venus shows the planet’s phases as it approaches inferior conjunction (the point where Venus is closest to the Earth). The image captures the beauty and movement of our neighboring planet in extraordinary detail, portraying the surface features of Venus in ways that are otherwise difficult to observe.
People and Space Winner: Tom Williams – “High-tech Silhouette”
In his second winning entry, Tom Williams delivers a remarkable silhouette of the International Space Station against the Sun’s eastern solar limb. The precision required to capture such a moment is exceptional. The ISS, though large in terms of human engineering, appears as a small shadow against the immense brightness of the Sun.
Stars and Nebulae Winner: Marcel Drechsler and Team – “Unexpected Discovery”
Marcel Drechsler and his team made an astonishing discovery while capturing the famous constellation Cassiopeia: a previously unknown supernova remnant. The team’s image depicts a red and blue hue surrounding a massive supernova remnant, providing new insights into the life cycle of stars.
In the middle of the well-known group of stars called Cassiopeia, the team found a huge, new supernova remnant. A supernova remnant is what’s left after a massive star explodes. The explosion throws gas and dust into space. (Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024: Marcel Drechsler, Bray Falls, Yann Sainty, Nicolas Martino, and Richard Galli)
The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer: Xin Feng and Miao Gong – “Dolphin Head Nebula”
This remarkable image of the Dolphin Head Nebula was taken by newcomers Xin Feng and Miao Gong. The Nebula, located in the constellation Canis Major, appears as a bubble of hydrogen gas, pushed outward by the powerful winds of a Wolf-Rayet star. This stellar phenomenon occurs when the star expels its outer layers in a powerful stellar wind, creating a beautiful bubble-like structure.
The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation: Sergio Diaz Ruiz – “Anatomy of a Habitable Planet”
Sergio Diaz Ruiz’s innovative image, “Anatomy of a Habitable Planet,” uses color mapping to highlight the devastation inflicted on Earth by environmental change. His portrayal of Earth aims to show how a distant civilization might study our planet, focusing on the potential hazards and risks we face due to pollution and deforestation.
Young Competition Winner: Daniele Borsari – “Dusty California”
The Californian Nebula, located about 1,000 light years from Earth, takes on a vibrant pink hue in Daniele Borsari’s image. This young photographer has managed to capture a nebula that is often difficult to photograph due to its faint structure. His work highlights the beauty and vastness of deep space.
The Future of Space Photography
Space photography, as showcased in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, continues to evolve with advancements in both technology and creativity. These images not only showcase the beauty of the cosmos but also help us understand our place in the universe. Whether it’s through discovering new supernova remnants or documenting rare celestial events like Baily’s beads, each of these photographers has contributed something unique to our understanding of space.
As astrophotography continues to grow in popularity, the next generation of photographers will undoubtedly push the boundaries of what we can capture from Earth. The Royal Observatory Greenwich has created a platform that highlights the beauty of the universe while encouraging more people to explore the cosmos through their lenses.
