Winning images from the 2019 Astronomy Photographer of the Year

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The Milky Way over a Bavarian mountain, a colourful explosion of the Southern Lights in Tasmania, and a dramatic lunar eclipse, all featured in the Royal Observatory’s Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2019 shortlist.

Run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, UK, the global competition received a record number of more than 4,600 entries from 90 countries in its eleventh year this year.

OUR MOON. Into the Shadow © László Francsics (Hungary) – WINNER AND OVERALL WINNER. This image showcases the 35 phases of the total lunar eclipse on 21 January in one photograph. The phases were so close together that they blended perfectly in a continuous image that captured the shadow of the Earth. On the edge of the shadow appears a rare blue tint, the shadow of the Earth’s ozone layer. The sequences were taken with 3-minute gaps using a pre-programmed shutter remote. They were stacked onto each other using the faint background stars as a guide, so that the photographer could reveal the real orbit of the Moon.
Budapest, Hungary, 21 January 2019. Sony Alpha 99, 250 mm Newtonian reflecting telescope @ f/4, Sky-Watcher EQ6 Pro mount. HDR composite of multiple exposures.
OUR MOON. Into the Shadow © László Francsics (Hungary) – WINNER AND OVERALL WINNER. This image showcases the 35 phases of the total lunar eclipse on 21 January in one photograph. The phases were so close together that they blended perfectly in a continuous image that captured the shadow of the Earth. On the edge of the shadow appears a rare blue tint, the shadow of the Earth’s ozone layer. The sequences were taken with 3-minute gaps using a pre-programmed shutter remote. They were stacked onto each other using the faint background stars as a guide, so that the photographer could reveal the real orbit of the Moon. Budapest, Hungary, 21 January 2019. Sony Alpha 99, 250 mm Newtonian reflecting telescope @ f/4, Sky-Watcher EQ6 Pro mount. HDR composite of multiple exposures.
SKYSCAPES
Across the Sky of History © Wang Zheng (China) – WINNER
This mystical image of withered poplar trees was taken in the Mongolian region of Ejina, in the historical Kingdom of Xi Xia. The poplars’ resistance to erosion has led to an extraordinary formation of a desolate landscape and as a meteor falls, their shapes look like ancient creatures on an uninhabited desert.
Ejina, Inner Mongolia, China, 12 August 2018. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 20 mm f/2 lens,10s @ f2, ISO 6400.
SKYSCAPES Across the Sky of History © Wang Zheng (China) – WINNER This mystical image of withered poplar trees was taken in the Mongolian region of Ejina, in the historical Kingdom of Xi Xia. The poplars’ resistance to erosion has led to an extraordinary formation of a desolate landscape and as a meteor falls, their shapes look like ancient creatures on an uninhabited desert. Ejina, Inner Mongolia, China, 12 August 2018. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 20 mm f/2 lens,10s @ f2, ISO 6400.
PEOPLE AND SPACE. Ben, Floyd and the Core © Ben Bush (UK) – WINNER. The image depicts the photographer and his dog, Floyd, surrounded by Mars, Saturn and the galactic core of the Milky Way galaxy. This photo encapsulates the photographer’s love for the cosmos. As his constant companions, the photographer often tries (and fails) to capture his dogs at night. With this shot the shutter speed was reduced to 10 seconds to allow Floyd to keep still. To counter this, the ISO was increased and the photographer whispered ‘don’t move, don’t move, don’t move’ to Floyd for the whole 10 seconds. The shot was repeated a number of times in order to capture a clear silhouette in a single exposure shot. The image contains everything the photographer loves about photography; the relationship with the landscape, family, dogs and friends. Hadrian’s Wall, Hexham, UK, 9 August 2018. Nikon D810, 24 mm f/1.4 lens. 10s @ f1.4, ISO 4000.
PEOPLE AND SPACE. Ben, Floyd and the Core © Ben Bush (UK) – WINNER. The image depicts the photographer and his dog, Floyd, surrounded by Mars, Saturn and the galactic core of the Milky Way galaxy. This photo encapsulates the photographer’s love for the cosmos. As his constant companions, the photographer often tries (and fails) to capture his dogs at night. With this shot the shutter speed was reduced to 10 seconds to allow Floyd to keep still. To counter this, the ISO was increased and the photographer whispered ‘don’t move, don’t move, don’t move’ to Floyd for the whole 10 seconds. The shot was repeated a number of times in order to capture a clear silhouette in a single exposure shot. The image contains everything the photographer loves about photography; the relationship with the landscape, family, dogs and friends. Hadrian’s Wall, Hexham, UK, 9 August 2018. Nikon D810, 24 mm f/1.4 lens. 10s @ f1.4, ISO 4000.
PLANETS, COMETS AND ASTEROIDS, Death of Opportunity © Andy Casely (Australia) – WINNER. This is a sequence of images through the perihelic opposition of Mars in 2018 that follows the progress of the great global dust storm, which proved to be detrimental for the Opportunity Mars rover, which exceeded its planned lifespan by 14 years. The first frame (26 May) precedes the storm, with clouds on volcanoes in the Martian spring. The storm rapidly grew from regional to global coverage between 6 and 11 June (second and third frames), obscuring Opportunity, and only the Tharsis volcanoes were peeking out by 3 July. After a close July opposition, with features such as Syrtis Major only dimly visible through the dust, the usual darker albedo features returned as Mars disappeared into the distance again, while the south polar cap shrank into Martian summer. Sydney, Australia, 26 May–30 October 2018. ZWO ASI290MM ,Celestron C14-355mm Schmidt-Cassegrain reflecting telescope @ f/26.
PLANETS, COMETS AND ASTEROIDS, Death of Opportunity © Andy Casely (Australia) – WINNER. This is a sequence of images through the perihelic opposition of Mars in 2018 that follows the progress of the great global dust storm, which proved to be detrimental for the Opportunity Mars rover, which exceeded its planned lifespan by 14 years. The first frame (26 May) precedes the storm, with clouds on volcanoes in the Martian spring. The storm rapidly grew from regional to global coverage between 6 and 11 June (second and third frames), obscuring Opportunity, and only the Tharsis volcanoes were peeking out by 3 July. After a close July opposition, with features such as Syrtis Major only dimly visible through the dust, the usual darker albedo features returned as Mars disappeared into the distance again, while the south polar cap shrank into Martian summer. Sydney, Australia, 26 May–30 October 2018. ZWO ASI290MM ,Celestron C14-355mm Schmidt-Cassegrain reflecting telescope @ f/26.
ROBOTIC SCOPE
Infrared Saturn © László Francsics (Hungary) – WINNER
With this image, the photographer decided to take on the challenge of revealing the very near infrared colours of Saturn, using the combination of the red and other two infrared planetary filters, the IR 685 and the IR 742, respectively. These are usually taken using special infrared planetary filters, in order to reduce the perturbation effect of the atmosphere, and RGB filters, to show the visual appearance of the planet. This choice of filters meant the photographer could push the limits of amateur astrophotography a little further. In doing so, he managed to shift the spectral range of the coloured image with 0.4 microns (620–1150 nm) towards infrared. 
Chilescope, Atacama region, Chile, 26 August 2018
ROBOTIC SCOPE Infrared Saturn © László Francsics (Hungary) – WINNER With this image, the photographer decided to take on the challenge of revealing the very near infrared colours of Saturn, using the combination of the red and other two infrared planetary filters, the IR 685 and the IR 742, respectively. These are usually taken using special infrared planetary filters, in order to reduce the perturbation effect of the atmosphere, and RGB filters, to show the visual appearance of the planet. This choice of filters meant the photographer could push the limits of amateur astrophotography a little further. In doing so, he managed to shift the spectral range of the coloured image with 0.4 microns (620–1150 nm) towards infrared. Chilescope, Atacama region, Chile, 26 August 2018
GALAXIES
Shells of Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3923 in Hydra © Rolf Wahl Olsen (Denmark) – WINNER
This is a deep image of the peculiar, elliptical galaxy NGC 3923. The galaxy features myriad concentric shells as a result of past mergers with other nearby galaxies. Recent research has documented 42 concentric shells in NGC 3923, more than in any other known galaxy. A prominent stream of stars extends towards the lower right, terminating abruptly in a shell-like fragment. Within the stream lies a small round galaxy believed to be one of the progenitors of the shell system. Now in the process of falling back towards the centre of NGC 3923, it shows a comet-like tail of stars extending behind it. Scattered throughout the field of view, far in the distant background, are numerous other galaxies. Some are even visible through the diffuse glow of NGC 3923. Many lie several billion light years away.
Auckland, New Zealand, 21 May 2017–25 March 2018
GALAXIES Shells of Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3923 in Hydra © Rolf Wahl Olsen (Denmark) – WINNER This is a deep image of the peculiar, elliptical galaxy NGC 3923. The galaxy features myriad concentric shells as a result of past mergers with other nearby galaxies. Recent research has documented 42 concentric shells in NGC 3923, more than in any other known galaxy. A prominent stream of stars extends towards the lower right, terminating abruptly in a shell-like fragment. Within the stream lies a small round galaxy believed to be one of the progenitors of the shell system. Now in the process of falling back towards the centre of NGC 3923, it shows a comet-like tail of stars extending behind it. Scattered throughout the field of view, far in the distant background, are numerous other galaxies. Some are even visible through the diffuse glow of NGC 3923. Many lie several billion light years away. Auckland, New Zealand, 21 May 2017–25 March 2018
Sky and Ground, Stars and Sand © Shuchang Dong (China) - JOINT WINNER
The Moon was shining bright over the sand dunes in north-central China, when the photographer decided to capture this image with a friend. After enjoying a sunset and the rise of the Moon, they began to take photos of the magnificent starry sky. 
Ningxia, China, 25 July 2018 
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera, 50 mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 250, 60 x 25-second exposures
Sky and Ground, Stars and Sand © Shuchang Dong (China) - JOINT WINNER The Moon was shining bright over the sand dunes in north-central China, when the photographer decided to capture this image with a friend. After enjoying a sunset and the rise of the Moon, they began to take photos of the magnificent starry sky. Ningxia, China, 25 July 2018 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera, 50 mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 250, 60 x 25-second exposures
STARS AND NEBULAE
Statue of Liberty Nebula © Ignacio Diaz Bobillo (Argentina) – WINNER
These are two nebula complexes, far apart from one another. The one on the right, NGC 3576, is closer to Earth, and its shape provides the title of this image. Both are active stellar nurseries, lit and shaped by the radiation from energetic young stars, showcasing a spectacular array of structures and colours. Acquired with narrow band filters, the composite image colour scheme follows the three-colour Hubble Palette standard. 
General Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 24 March 2018
Apogee Atlas U16M camera, Astro-Physics 167 mm apochromatic refractor telescope. 16-hour total exposure @ f7.2, Astrodon SII, H-alpha, and OIII 3 nm filters, Astro-Physics 1100GTO mount, narrowband, SII-Ha-OIII composite.
STARS AND NEBULAE Statue of Liberty Nebula © Ignacio Diaz Bobillo (Argentina) – WINNER These are two nebula complexes, far apart from one another. The one on the right, NGC 3576, is closer to Earth, and its shape provides the title of this image. Both are active stellar nurseries, lit and shaped by the radiation from energetic young stars, showcasing a spectacular array of structures and colours. Acquired with narrow band filters, the composite image colour scheme follows the three-colour Hubble Palette standard. General Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 24 March 2018 Apogee Atlas U16M camera, Astro-Physics 167 mm apochromatic refractor telescope. 16-hour total exposure @ f7.2, Astrodon SII, H-alpha, and OIII 3 nm filters, Astro-Physics 1100GTO mount, narrowband, SII-Ha-OIII composite.
YOUNG ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Stellar Flower © Davy van der Hoeven (Netherlands), 
aged 11 – WINNER
Once the photographer decided to capture a deep sky image, he started researching online for nebulae and came across the magnificent Rosette Nebula. With the help of his father he built the equipment and together, over three nights in November, captured images images of the Rosette Nebula using different filters. In order to familiarise with processing images, the young photographer practised on one of his father’s older photographs and then processed the raw data of this image by himself. 
Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, South Holland, Netherlands, 26 February 2019
QSI 583ws camera, TMB92SS 92mm apochromatic refractor telescope. 16 hours 15 minutes total exposure @ f5.5, Sky-Watcher NEQ-6 mount, Ha-OIII-SII composite.
YOUNG ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Stellar Flower © Davy van der Hoeven (Netherlands), aged 11 – WINNER Once the photographer decided to capture a deep sky image, he started researching online for nebulae and came across the magnificent Rosette Nebula. With the help of his father he built the equipment and together, over three nights in November, captured images images of the Rosette Nebula using different filters. In order to familiarise with processing images, the young photographer practised on one of his father’s older photographs and then processed the raw data of this image by himself. Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, South Holland, Netherlands, 26 February 2019 QSI 583ws camera, TMB92SS 92mm apochromatic refractor telescope. 16 hours 15 minutes total exposure @ f5.5, Sky-Watcher NEQ-6 mount, Ha-OIII-SII composite.
AURORAE
The Watcher © Nicolai Brügger (Germany) – WINNER
The photographer hiked in the snow to the top of the mountain Offersøykammen in Norway, to witness and capture the breathtaking giant aurora over the Lofoten Islands. 
He waited many hours and after midnight the bright Northern Lights finally appeared. The photographer shot this as a panorama to showcase the arched aurora over the mountains.
Lofoten, Norway, 9 March 2018 Nikon D600, 15 mm f/2.8 lens. 12 images of 13s @ f2.8, ISO 2000.
AURORAE The Watcher © Nicolai Brügger (Germany) – WINNER The photographer hiked in the snow to the top of the mountain Offersøykammen in Norway, to witness and capture the breathtaking giant aurora over the Lofoten Islands. He waited many hours and after midnight the bright Northern Lights finally appeared. The photographer shot this as a panorama to showcase the arched aurora over the mountains. Lofoten, Norway, 9 March 2018 Nikon D600, 15 mm f/2.8 lens. 12 images of 13s @ f2.8, ISO 2000.


The full list of winners and runners up can be seen at rmg.co.uk/astrophoto.

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