Stars and Nebulae 2020

Cosmic Inferno

by Peter Ward

Winner

"Creation, elements, fire, brimstone and wonder. This astonishing image conjures up these pictures that also represent the first moments of the Universe, before stars were formed. It’s a moving reminder that when we look up to the night sky, we tend to do so with earthly concerns on our minds, whether unconsciously or consciously as seen here. The tragedy of the 2019 bushfires in Australia shook people around the world; in the age of climate change, this extraordinarily beautiful picture urges us not to let our children’s future go up in flames".

- Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art (post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich

"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".

- Ed Robinson, award-winning photographer, creative director and visual consultant. Founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications

See the overall winners

The Dolphin Jumping out of an Ocean of Gas

by Connor Matherne

Runner up

"When I think about dolphins, I think about lightness of being, joy and playfulness, all of which are evocatively present in this picture".

- Melanie Vandenbrouck, Curator of Art (post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich

The Misty Elephant's Trunk

by Min Xie

Highly commended

"This photograph has a ghostly quality that resembles mist rising from the ground. Even though this nebula seems serene, the small, finger-like structures in the image will evolve into nurseries for newborn stars".

- Emily Drabek-Maunder, astrophysicist, astronomer and science communicator at Royal Observatory Greenwich