4. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015
shortlisted images selected

5. Ascent of Angels by Brad Goldpaint (USA)
Following his first up-close encounter with a black bear, the photographer was relieved to reach his destination safely and capture this phenomenal image. A meteor can be seen
piercing through the darkness as the Milky Way towers above the 4,392m peak of Mount Rainier in Washington, USA. The white lights dotted across the rocky paths of the mountain’s
face are the headlamps of hikers ascending to the peak

6. The Mirrored Night Sky by Xiaohua Zhao (China)
An enthralled stargazer is immersed in the stars as the
luminous purple sky is mirrored in the thin sheet of water
across the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

7. The Night the Sky Exploded by Kris Williams (UK)
A rare sighting of a red aurora, caused by the emission of high-altitude oxygen, captured on film, dancing over the small fishing town of Eyrarbakki, on the south coast of Iceland. The
result of a large geomagnetic storm caused by a large coronal mass ejection, this display that lasted for hours, was one of the most colourful that the photographer had ever seen, and
was even visible before darkness had completely fallen

8. Star Trails over Green Lake by Dan Barr (USA)
Star trails illuminate the night sky over a campfire-lit Green Lake in the Hoover Wilderness of California. Star trails are a popular subject for astrophotographers to capture using long-
exposure times. Whilst they appear to illustrate the movement of the stars, they are in fact depicting the rotation of the Earth on its axis

9. Calm Before the Storm by Julie Fletcher (Australia)
A phenomenal natural light show of a lightning storm emanating from the underside of ominous storm clouds juxtaposed with the gleaming stars of the Milky Way above them. The
photographer had watched the storm front over Kati-Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park in South Australia for around two hours before capturing this tumultuous scene, using a graduated
filter upside down to balance to exposure from top to bottom to showcase the beauty of our Galaxy

10. Great Nebula in Carina Bi-Colour by Terry Robison (Canada)
The hypergiant star Eta Carina glows against the background of swirling clouds of dust and gases that form the Carina Nebula. The Carina Nebula is one of the largest diffuse nebulae -
meaning that it has no well-defined boundaries - in our skies and is about four times as large as the famed Orion Nebula

11. Thor’s Helmet (NGC 2359) by Adam Block (USA)
The distinctive shape of the nebula NGC 2359 has led to it also being known as Thor’s Helmet, resembling the headgear of the Norse God (and Marvel superhero). Around 11 thousand
light years away, the overall bubble shape is mainly due to interstellar material swept up by the winds of the nebula’s central star Wolf-Rayet, an extremely hot giant thought to be in a
pre-supernova stage

12. IC443 by Patrick Gilliland (UK)
Lying in the constellation of Gemini, IC443 is a galactic supernova remnant, a star that could have exploded as many as 30,000 years ago. Its globular appearance has earned the
celestial structure the moniker of the Jellyfish Nebula

13. Roseta-NBv5 by Juan Ignacio Jimenez (Spain)
Measuring 50 light years in diameter, the large, round Rosette Nebula is found on the edge of a molecular cloud in the constellation of Monoceros the Unicorn. At the core of the nebula
the very hot young stars have heated the surrounding gaseous shell to a temperature in the order of 6 million kelvins resulting in the emission of copious amounts of X-Rays. Here the
photographer has applied a false colour palette to several pictures using narrowband filters, which only allow a specific colour of light to reach the camera, with each one linked to an
interstellar gas, resulting in the striking blues and oranges

14. Solar Prominence by Gary Palmer (UK)
Searing hot loops of plasma radiate from the edge of our local star – the Sun – in a phenomenon known as a solar prominence. Emanating from the Sun’s photosphere; its outer shell
from which light is emitted, prominences extend to the corona, which is the aura of the plasma surrounding it. A typical prominence covers over thousands of kilometres, with the
largest ever recorded estimated to be over 800,000 kilometres, equalling roughly the radius of the Sun itself

15. Motind by Rune Engebo (Norway)
Living in Norway, the photographer had seen his fair share of aurorae, but on 21 January 2015 he witnessed the strongest variety of colours he had ever set eyes on in this beautiful
explosion of purples and greens. Careening over the peaks of Senja, oxygen produces the greens and nitrogen the purples, seen in this particular display of the Northern Lights

16. C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy by Michael Jaeger (Austria)
Comet Lovejoy sails through the solar system in a green haze leaving cometary dust in its wake. C/2014 Q2 is the fifth comet to have been discovered by Australian amateur astronomer
and astrophotographer, Terry Lovejoy. Towards the end of 2014 and into the beginning of 2015 the comet could be seen through binoculars or in some special cases with the naked eye
soaring through Earth’s skies. The radiant blue-green contrasting against the backdrop of the night sky is due to the diatomic gas burning off it as it travels through space, and the
disjointed tail illustrates the effects of a disturbance caused by solar winds

17. M42 Subtle V1 cropped by Patrick Gilliland (UK)
One of the most well-known astronomical objects in our universe is the Orion Nebula and this image depicts the wider region of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex that is home to it.
This complex is also home to another popular target for astrophotographers, the Horsehead Nebula, as well as Barnard's Loop and the Running Man Nebula that can be seen to the left
of this photograph. The pinks and oranges that can be seen in the whorls of the nebulae are caused by the extremely hot hydrogen gas present in the structures

18. Full Moon over the Alps by Stefano de Rosa (Italy)
The majestic sight of the full moon setting behind the rose-tinted Alps. Taken in the silent surroundings of Superga hill in Turin, Italy, mere minutes before sunrise

19. Herschel 36: The Heart of the Lagoon by László Francsics (Hungary)
Situated some 5,000 light years away, the stellar nursery of the Lagoon Nebula lies in the constellation of Sagittarius. Despite being light years away the Lagoon Nebula is in fact one of
the few star-forming nebulae that it is possible to see with the naked eye in optimum conditions from mid-northern latitudes

20. Aurora Panorama 3 by Jan R. Olsen (Norway)
The vivid green Northern Lights dance above Lyngenfjord, the longest fjord in Troms county Norway, tracing out the shape of the Earth’s magnetic field above the waters. The most
common colour associated with aurorae, the green is produced by oxygen atoms and molecules energised by the impact of solar particles that have escaped the Sun’s atmosphere,
causing them to glow brightly

21. Moon and Antelao by Marcella Giulia (Italy)
Late afternoon at San Vito di Cadore, Italy the moon shines over Monte Antelao. The snow-covered dolomite ridge of the mountain and the Earth's only natural satellite bear a striking
resemblance to one another, contrasting against the bright blue of the afternoon sky. The photographer noted the likeness of the image to a snowball bouncing down an inclined plane

22. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015
Winners of nine categories are announced a ceremony in
September.

23. This stunning image called Airglow was taken by Adhemar Duro Junior at Monjes de la Pacana, close to the triple border between Bolivia, Chile and Argentina and shows a stunning
constellation of stars lighting up the night sky over giant rock formations. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

24. Winter wonderland: Martin Giertl waited until the dead of night to snap this spectacular image of The Milky Way over Elfin Lakes in British Colombia, Canada. Astronomy Photographer
of the Year 2015

25. This breathtaking image of the aurora
was taken in the Canadian wilderness
by Dave Brosha. Brosha's friend Paul
Zizka, another photographer, is
shown capturing his own image in
this picture called 'Nights of
Wonder‘Astronomy. Photographer of
the Year 2015

26. The whole of the moon: This image 'Luna y eleros - Moon and Sailboats' by Sebastián Guillermaz shows the moon rising over the 'Rio de la Plata' in Argentina, while boaters enjoy the
last light of day. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

27. The Eta Carinae Nebula, a stellar system containing at least two stars about 7,500 light-years from the Sun, is shown in all its glory in this picture by Stephen Mohr. Astronomy
Photographer of the Year 2015

28. Sebastián Guillermaz was waiting to snap a comet, but ended up taking this stunning picture of the moon above the horizon in a picture called 'Belt of Venus. Astronomy Photographer
of the Year 2015

29. Trick of the light: The sun appears to glow purple in this spectacular picture by Valery Shamukov. By imaging the sun only in this very narrow colour range, astronomers can isolate
evidence of extreme events on our local star's surface. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

30. A galaxy far, far away: This entry by photographer Mark Hanson shows the Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sh2-190, situated 7500 light years away from Earth in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

31. The Dome, a panorama by Kolbein Svensson, was created by merging five vertical shots. The two green points on the lower right of the image are from a puddle reflecting the aurora.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

32. Light show: A spectacular display of the Northern Lights glows above Trwyn Du, Anglesey, North Wales in this entry called 'Fire in the Sky' by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Astronomy
Photographer of the Year 2015

33. The sky at night: A thin crescent moon sets over Edinburgh Castle on Christmas Day 2014 in this picture by Grant Ritchie. It was taken using a Nikon D800 and Sigma 50-500mm lens.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

34. Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Past Winners

35. The winning image by James Woodend was of a green aurora pictured in Iceland's Vatnajokull National Park. The light reflected almost symetrically in Jokulsrlon Glacier lagoon. A
complete lack of wind and currrent combine in this sheltered lagoon scene to create an arresting mirror effect giving the image a sensation of utter stillness. Astronomy Photographer
of the Year 2014

36. The Horsehead Nebula is one of the most photographed objects in the night sky, but this image portrays it in a brand new light. The photographer draws the eye down to the creased
and folded landscape of gas and dust at its base rather than focusing solely on the silhouette of the horsehead itself. Bill Snyder also includes the glowing cavity surrounding a bright
star situated to the lower left of the horsehead. . Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

37. The sun's boiling surface curves away beneath us in this evocative shot that conveys the scale and violence of our star. The region of solar activity on the left could engulf the Earth
several times over with room to spare. The sun's outer layers behave as a fluid, as alluded to in the image's title, and are constantly twisted. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

38. Rock formation in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand create a stark foreground and contrast to the dusty clouds dancing acorss the Milky Way. No light pollution and a clear, crisp
night afford the photographer a fantastic opportunity for this superb image. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

39. The zodiacal light seems to rise from the horizon like a pyramid with the brilliant point of Venus at its apex. Comprised of sunlight scattered and diffused by tiny grains of dust that drift
between the planets, this pale feature marks out the plane of the solar system. The stillness of the skies contrasts with the transience of the scene below, with its shifting human figures
reflected in the temporary waters of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

40. Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2 by Eugen Kamenew, Germany. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014

41. Mark Gee's image of the Milky Way came first in the Earth and Space Category in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards. The shot shows central regions of the Milky Way
Galaxy - over 26,000 light years away - appearing as a tangle of dust and stars, lit up by a lighthouse on the Cape Palliser, New Zealand, shining out to sea. Astronomy Photographer of
the Year 2013

42. Haunting: A Corona Composite - or eclipse of the sun - taken in 2012 in Australia by Man-To Hui. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013

43. Celestial Impasto: sh2–239 by Adam Block (USA). Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

44. Moon Silhouettes by Mark Gee (Australia). Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013

45. Spectacular: Winning the Sir Partick Moore prize for Best Newcomer was Sam Cornwell for his image of the transit of Venus. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013

46. Extraordinary: American David Kingham's image of a Perseid Meteor Shower over a mountain range was also highly commended. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013

47. Starry night: Japanese photographer Masahiro Miyasaka's image - entitled Star Icefall - shows Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades forming the backdrop to an eerie frozen landscape, and
was chosen as the winner of the Earth and Space category. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

48. Winning shot: This beautiful image of the Whirlpool Galaxy, taken by Martin Pugh, was chosen as the overall competition winner, as well as the best entry in the Deep Space category.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

49. Transit of Venus 2012 in Hydrogen-Alpha by Chris Warren (UK). Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

50. Venus-Jupiter Close Conjunction by Laurent Laveder
(France). Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

51. Runner-up: Arild Heitmann's photograph of the aurora borealis lighting up the skies over Norway was runner-up in the Earth and Space category. Astronomy Photographer of the
Year 2012

52. Detailed: David Campbell's multi-image mosaic of
the moon offers a detailed glimpse of the surface.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012

53. Award-winning: This stunning image of Jupiter and its two orbiting moons Ganymede was taken by Damian Peach using a telescope in his garden in Selsey, West Sussex. Astronomy
Photographer of the Year 2011

54. Galactic Paradise by Tunç Tezel (Turkey). Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2011

55. Stargazing by Jeffrey Sullivan (USA). Astronomy
Photographer of the Year 2011

56. Overas winner as well as category winner, Blazing Bristlecone by Tom Lowe won the Earth and Space section. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2010

57. People and Space is a new category for this year, for photos that include people in a creative and original way. The winning photograph is Photon Worshippers by Steven Christenson.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2010

58. Siberian Totality by Anthony Ayiomamitis was judged the best photo of a Solar System subject. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2010

59. Orion Deep Wide Field by Rogelio Bernal Andreo. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2010

60. This image was taken by astro-photographer Ted Dobosz from Australia on a high-tech Canon camera. Over a thirty minute exposure the Earth's spin has caused star trails around the
sky's South Pole. It was snapped on March 28th, 2009. Judge Will Gater said: 'The photographer would have pointed his camera at the south celestial pole and opened the shutter for a
half hour exposure. The stars are blurred as Earth rotates underneath.‘Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009 competition

61. Another picture from Martin Pugh from the UK taken on March 19, 2009. It shows galactic dust in Corona Australis. The two blue-reflection nebulae, clouds of dust scattering the light of
nearby stars, are associated with young stars, not more than a few million years old. A much older globular cluster of thousands of stars can be seen on the top right. Judge Will Gater
said: 'He used a large telescope and very sensitive camera, which he needed to capture enough light reflected off the faint dust.' Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009 competition

62. The Horsehead Nebula was captured by Martin Pugh from the UK in March 2009. It is a dark nebula (dust cloud) in the constellation Orion and is approximately 1,500 light years from
Earth. Judge Will Gater said: 'You have to track the stars accurately for many hours to get an image like this. Objects glow at different wavelengths so the photographer had to put
together iimages from the different colour channels to get this effect.‘Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009 competition

63. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015
The winning images will be showcased at an annual free
exhibition at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London
from 18 September 2015.
This year the competition has attracted over 2,700 images
from 60 countries, more than ever before.

64. On Top © Tommaso Maiocchi
Taken on the 14th April 2014; the day of the eclipse, in Canyonlands National Park. The moon rose as the sun set, and at the time the image was taken, the moon was just above one of
the Buttes in the park. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

65. Quiver Trees and Shooting Star, Ivan van Niekirk.
The Milky Way shines over quiver trees at Bet-El Farm, Northern Cape, South Africa Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

66. The ‘Tower’ and the Milky Way © Rónán McLaughlin
In Malin Head, Co. Donegal, the Milky Way illuminates the sky above a tall derelict building known locally as "The Tower" that was built in 1805 by the Admiralty, and later used as a
Lloyds Signal Station. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

67. The Magic Mountain © Alexa Kershaw
A breathtaking display of the aurora in the remote fishing village of Grundarfjörður, on Iceland's west coast taken at 3am in the morning. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

68. end
Skogafoss, Iceland – 360 Degree Panorama © Vincent Brady
On the night of October 27th 2014, the aurorae flowed through the sky like cold river at the bottom of the mighty Skogafoss. In a shallow spot, the photographer placed his 4 cameras
with fisheye rigs to shoot a panorama time-lapse for several hours. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

69. cast Astronomy Photographer of the Year
2015 (shortlisted images selected)
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