Skyscapes 2023: Astronomy Photographer of the Year

For centuries, we have been fascinated by the wonders of the Universe. However, as technology progresses and humanity matures, we have become increasingly disconnected from the cosmos.

The winning and shortlisted images in the Skyscapes category invite us to consider our place on Earth and within the Universe. Evoking feelings of awe and wonder, these photographs showcase the Earth’s natural wonders – and our own engineering feats – against the backdrop of the heavens.

From star trails over mountains, to the Milky Way rising behind ancient stone formations, to majestic noctilucent clouds reflected in water, explore the full shortlist below.

Visit Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Image of the sky with a lightning sprite at the top of the image in bright pinks, resembling tree branches

The winning image

Grand Cosmic Fireworks by Angel An

Taken in Lake Puma Yumco, Tibet, China, 20 May 2022

Angel says, "I was standing on the highest ridge of the Himalaya mountains, enjoying the dancing lightning sprites like gorgeous fireworks in the night sky. They acted as fairy-like creatures, giving a transient firework show for the audience on Earth. Seeing this extremely rare phenomenon of atmospheric luminescence with such high intensity was something that I have never witnessed before."

Equipment used: Sony ILCE-7S3 camera, 135 mm f/1.8, ISO 12800, 4-second exposure

This is not, as it might first appear, an enormous extraterrestrial, but the lower tendrils of a sprite (red lightning)! This rarely seen electrical discharge occurs much higher in the atmosphere than normal lightning (and indeed, despite the name, is created by a different mechanism), giving the image an intriguingly misleading sense of scale. While the gradient of colours is beautiful by itself, impressively the image also captures the delicate structure of the plasma. We really loved that the photographer doesn’t capture the whole structure, which extends far beyond the top of the frame. It creates an unsettling, alien image that can’t help but draw your eye.
Dr Ed Bloomer, competition judge

Image showing WWI trenches at bottom lit up with lights, a line of trees in the distance, and a purple, blue and yellow sky behind with star trails making curved diagonal lines

Runner-up

Celestial Equator Above First World War Trench Memorial by Louis Leroux-Gere

Taken in Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts de France, France, 29 April 2022

Louis says, "This is my first star trail taken over a five-hour exposure. This photograph was captured at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in northern France, the site to remember all Canadians who served in the First World War. I slept in those trenches while my camera captured the rotation of the sky and was absolutely amazed by the stars."

Equipment used: Canon EOS 6D (Astro modified), Samyang XP 14 mm f/2.4 lens, 14 mm f/3.2, ISO 1000, 577 x 30-second exposures

Circular solargraph image showing a fast food restaurant within a parking lot and in the sky is multiple pale yellow lines moving from behind the restaurant to the upper right hand corner

Highly commended

Solargraph 209 Days by Ksawery Wróbel

Taken in Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA, 11 June–16 December 2022

"Solargraphy is a technique in which a homemade pinhole camera can be used to expose photosensitive paper for a long exposure time," Ksawery says. "Depending on the length of the exposure, the resulting image shows the path of the Sun across the sky from dawn to dusk, but also from north to south (or vice versa) between the solstices.

"Each streak of light in the solargraph image represents one day. Missing light streaks indicate that the Sun was obstructed by cloud cover. This method allows the use of very long exposure times: several weeks, a few months or even years. After the exposure of the paper, the whole chemical process is skipped. The negative photo is removed from the camera, scanned and inverted to the positive in a graphics programme. To take my photo I used an aluminium jar. The photosensitive paper was cut around and rested on the lid of the jar (this is why my photo is cropped in the shape of a circle). I call this my ‘Eye of Sparrow’ pinhole camera."

Equipment used: Homemade ‘Eye of Sparrow’ pinhole camera, 23.5 mm f/130, 209 days total exposure