The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 competition, hosted by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and BBC Sky at Night Magazine, has recently unveiled its shortlist of stunning images capturing the wonders of the Solar System. From over 5,580 submissions worldwide, 30 photos have been selected by the jurors for their exceptional portrayal of celestial formations and phenomena.
One of the standout images is by PengFei Chou from Guangdong, China, who captured a solar prominence—an eruption of plasma extending over 310,000 miles into space. The image, created from 20 stacked data sets, beautifully showcases the intricate details of this solar event.
In addition to capturing distant nebulae, comets, and eclipses, photographers also focused on blending cosmic events with earthly landscapes. Benjamin Barakat’s photo shows stars appearing to circle around a dragon tree in Yemen, while Jim Hildreth’s image captures the Milky Way sweeping over Moonscape Overlook in Utah.
The winners in 10 categories, including an overall winner, will be announced on September 11, with an exhibition opening at the National Maritime Museum the following day. To view all the shortlisted photographs and plan your visit, visit the Royal Museums Greenwich website.
The competition features a diverse range of images, from a blood moon rising over Shanghai to a full moon ascending over the Dolomites, and even a close-up of a comet with a long tail. Each photograph tells a unique story of the cosmos, offering viewers a glimpse into the vast beauty of our universe.
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Overall, the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 competition showcases the talent and creativity of photographers around the world, capturing the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos in all its glory.
