2020 astronomy photographer’s short lists will take your breath away

07/16/2020 World

Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year never fails to present us with some extraordinary images of space. It is no different this year. The pre-selected images of the 2020 competition have just been announced and, as always, they are splendid! I’m sure they will take your breath away like they did mine.

As before, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 has been organized by the Royal Greenwich Observatory, in association with Insight Investment and BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

This year, the contest has seen a record number of entries, coming from photographers from almost 70 countries around the world. The overall winner, Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year, will be chosen on September 10, along with the winners in nine different categories:

Skyscapes
Auroras
People and space
Our sun
Our moon
Planets, Comets and Asteroids
Stars and nebulae
Galaxies
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year

The judges will also award two special prizes: The Sir Patrick Moore Award for Best Newcomer and the Annie Maunder Award for Image Innovation Photos produced using publicly available images.

The overall winner will receive £ 10,000 and the winners of all other categories and the Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year will receive £ 1,500. There are also prizes for runners-up (£ 500) and highly recommended entries (£ 250). Special Prize winners will receive £ 750. All winning entries will also receive a one-year subscription to BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Also, the winning and shortlisted photos will be on display at the National Maritime Museum starting in October 2020. Hopefully, the lunacy of the coronavirus will be behind us so you can see these magnificent images in person.

In the meantime, check out the beautiful shortlisted photos below. And if you want more, be sure to check out the galleries from previous years: