Astronomy Photographer of the Year Exhibition winners: Breathtaking images capture the starry night sky
Nicholas Lefaudeux has won the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition with a picture of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Mr Lefaudeux beat competition from thousands of amateur and professionals to scoop a £10,000 prize with his photo, taken in Forges-les-Bains, Ile-de-France.
Competition judge Ed Robinson said: "To most of us, our closest neighbouring galaxy Andromeda can also feel so distanced and out of reach, yet to create a photograph that gives us the impression that it is just within our physical reach is truly magical, and somewhat appropriate as we adjust after such socially distanced times."
Here we look at the other category winners from this year's competition.
Best Newcomer: Waves, by Bence Toth
Bence Toth's image shows the central region of the California nebula, captured over seven hours and 50 minutes of exposure.
Mandy Bailey, Astronomy Secretary for the Royal Astronomical Society, said: "The processing is excellent, drawing out the detail and enhancing the structure to give a 3D impression of the crest of a huge wave ready to crash down."
Steve Marsh, Art Editor at the BBC Sky at Night Magazine, added: "As a burgeoning astrophotographer, tackling any deep-sky object is a formidable challenge, but to push yourself to capture its core, and at this level of detail, shows true determination and incredible potential.
"The stars are pin sharp and the wispy nebulous texture is perfectly processed."
Skyscapes: Painting the Sky, by Thomas Kast
This photo was taken in Lapland, in Finland. It shows nacreous clouds, which are high and known for reflecting coloured light.
Steve Marsh said: "Clouds are said to be the bane of astronomers, but they can also be the inspiration for a breathtaking astrophoto.
"These rare, incredibly high nacreous clouds reflect colour like oil does on water and this photographer has captured them perfectly. With subtle processing they have brought out the vibrant hues that can sometimes be seen in our skies."
Our Sun: Liquid Sunshine, by Alexandra Hart
This close-up photo of the sun shows the activity of the convection cells on its surface. It was taken with an 8.431 millisecond exposure time.
Emily Drabek-Maunder, astrophysicist, astronomer and science communicator at Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: "This is a stunning example of how the ‘quiet’ Sun is never truly quiet. While the Sun may be less active, the nuclear fusion ongoing below its surface sustains all life on our little world."
Ed Robinson, award-winning photographer, added: "This stunning and confident photograph is whimsically abstract while also being satisfyingly educational."
Our Moon: Tycho Crater Region with Colours, by Alain Paillou
This colourful photo of the Tycho crater, 53 miles in diameter, shows a different side of the moon from the image we usually see.
Alain Paillou used a black and white camera to capture the sharp outlines of the crater and a colour camera to record the striking patchwork of hues on the surface. The image was created using multiple 15-millisecond exposures.
Emily Drabek-Maunder said: "This vibrant image teases out the faint colours on the surface of the Moon. Not only is this composition visually striking, but it highlights the different materials the Moon is made up of, all from the safety of the Earth."
Aurorae: The Green Lady, by Nicholas Roemmelt
This photo of the Northern Lights was taken over four 1.6 second exposures.
Susan Ferges, a fine art photographer, said: "This was such a dramatic image, with the ‘green lady’ appearing to take flight above the mountains and illuminated water’s edge.
"I liked the way the landscape was dwarfed by the dominant aurora and yet the forms and colours of the composition echoed above with below.
Planets, Comets and Asteroids: Space Between Us…, by Łukasz Sujka
The photo of the Moon and Jupiter struck the judges because of its relevance during the coronavirus pandemic, when many are feeling the effects of enforced social distancing.
Emily Drabek-Maunder said: "The enormous distances in the universe are beautifully captured in this phenomenal photograph.
"Even though the Moon and Jupiter appear side by side, they are approximately over 700 million kilometres apart."
People and Space: The Prison of Technology, by Rafael Schmall
This photo shows the Albireo double star framed amid the trails of satellites. The photographer points out that the growing number of satellites make it harder for photographers to capture the stars.
Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art (post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich, said: "Sometimes beauty can reveal an unattractive truth. This picture is as aesthetically pleasing as it is shocking.
"How far must we go in our quest for ‘more’ before we realise how irretrievably we are altering our precious connection with our night sky?"
Stars and Nebulae: Cosmic Inferno, by Peter Ward
This photo of the well-known NGC 3576 nebula in the southern skies is intended to reference the Australian wildfires of 2019-2020.
The image was edited to introduce the dramatic colour palette.
Photographer, creative director and visual consultant Ed Robinson said: "It is a reminder and testament to the horrors that the photographer references during the Australian bushfires.
"As photographers and artists it is often the personal experiences and moments in our individual lives that we translate into our depictions of what we see and then represent to our audiences through our works."
Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation: Dark River (detail), by Julie Hill
This is a reworking of one of the largest images ever made of the central areas of the Milky Way. The sculptural work attempts to create an "affective space" that the viewer can engage with.
Ed Robinson said: "I commend the choice of image data used alongside the artist’s vision to create an appropriately striking representation of the 'river' of the Milky Way, as it is so referenced in ancient human civilisations.
"It’s a powerful and poignant image presented in a striking manner that is befitting of our own galaxy and its place in the vastness of space and our universe."
Young Competition: The Four Planets and the Moon, by Alice Fock Hang
This image by a ten-year-old photographer shows Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and more.
Steve Marsh said: "A vast expanse of the sky captured in exquisite detail and with a range of different objects included.
The contrast balance on this image is right in the sweet spot and it would be a fantastic image from any age group."
An exhibition of all the winning pictures can be seen at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich in London from October 23.
