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With less than two weeks left, astrophotographers worldwide are racing to submit their entries for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 17. The contest, organized by Royal Observatory Greenwich in partnership with BBC Sky at Night Magazine, invites space photography enthusiasts to showcase their best astronomy pictures before the submission deadline of March 3, 2025.
Meanwhile, the People’s Choice Award has already crowned its winner. Like Blue Lava, a stunning photo by Petr Horalek, takes the first prize. It captures glowing bioluminescent plankton lighting up the shore of Medhufaru Island, with the Southern Cross constellation and deep-space nebulae shining in the night sky.
The winners of the People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award was selected from a competitive pool of 3,500 images submitted in 2024. From a shortlist of 140, three outstanding photographs earned the top spots.
- First place: Like Blue Lava by Petr Horalek. This image, taken on a northern beach of Medhufaru Island, shows glowing turquoise waters beneath a star-filled sky featuring the Gum Nebula and Carina Nebula.
- Second place: Arctic Dragon by Carina Letelier Baeza. A breathtaking aurora in Iceland’s Arctic Henge appears to take the shape of a dragon.
- Third place: A Night with the Valkyries by Jose Miguel Picon Chimelis. This photo captures the northern lights dancing over Iceland’s Eystrahorn Mountain.
© Petr Horalek/Astronomy Photographer of the Year
© Carina Letelier Baeza/Astronomy Photographer of the Year
© Jose Miguel Picon Chimelis/Astronomy Photographer of the Year
How to enter Astronomy Photographer of the Year
The Astronomy Photographer of the Year is open to photographers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a hobbyist or take photos for a living, you can submit your work. It can be up to ten images, across the following categories:
- Aurorae – photographs of the Northern and Southern Lights
- Galaxies – deep-space objects beyond the Milky Way, including galaxy clusters
- Stars and Nebulae – celestial objects within the Milky Way, such as star clusters and supernova remnants
- Our Moon – lunar images, including eclipses and planetary occultations
- Our Sun – solar images showcasing sunspots, eclipses, and solar corona
- People and Space – artistic images that feature human interaction with the night sky
- Planets, Comets, and Asteroids – pictures of objects within our solar system
- Skyscapes – landscapes combined with astronomical elements like the Milky Way
- Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year – open to entrants under 16
There are also two special prizes:
- The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer – for photographers who have started astrophotography within the past year
- The Annie Maunder Open Category – for images created using any form of astronomical data, allowing digital and analog processing but excluding AI-generated data
To enter, you can submit your images online on the contest website. As mentioned, the deadline is March 3, 2025, at 12 noon (GMT).
Prizes and exhibition
The overall winner of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 17 will receive a £10,000 grand prize. Winners of each category and the Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year will receive £1,500. Runners-up and highly commended entries will also receive cash prizes.
The contest also displays winning images at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. So, if the road takes you there or you live nearby, don’t miss admiring some of the year’s best astronomy pictures. The results will be announced in September 2025 during a special award ceremony.
More photos from Astronomy Photographer of the Year contests
- These Are the Winning Photos of Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2017
- The Winning Photos of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2018 Contest Are Out of This World
- Behold The Awe-Inspiring Winning Photos of 2019 Astronomy Photographer of the Year
- Extraordinary Photo of Andromeda Galaxy Wins Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020
- Stunning Photo of an “Alien Throne” Is People’s Choice of 2021 Astronomy Photographer of the Year
- A Photo of Annular Solar Eclipse in Tibet Wins 2021 Astronomy Photographer of the Year
- Rare Photo of Comet Leonard’s Disconnected Gas Tail Wins 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year
- Magical Bailey’s beads during solar eclipse win 2024 Astronomy Photographer of the Year