Impressive. Vibrant. dazzling. The adjectives to describe our universe are endless. And nowhere is that on display more than in this year’s photos. Astrophotography Award Photographer of the Year Award.
Australian photographer Phil Hart took top honors for his stunning image (below) of the 2023 solar eclipse in Exmouth, Western Australia. Hart’s photo is one of the highest resolution (white light) images of the solar corona ever recorded, and its detail is astonishing. He created the images using multiple telescopes, video frames, and RAW exposures.
“This year’s contest featured some of the most impressive astronomical photography I have ever seen,” said judge Dr. Tanya Hill. “Phil Hart’s images were a masterclass in skill, creativity and dedication, showing faint lunar details alongside the petal-like streams of the solar corona.”
Category Winner:
solar system
Mr Hart’s detailed image of the solar eclipse over Exmouth won first place in this category, demonstrating his mastery in photographing the solar corona.
The photos taken by Lehmann from Namibia highlight the dynamic beauty of the comet’s tail as it travels through space.
Hart’s close-up of the solar eclipse over Exmouth was created using multiple telescopes, video frames, and RAW exposures, demonstrating his dedication to capturing this phenomenon in incredible detail. It shows an attitude.
deep space
Sainty won first place in the deep space category for its striking photo of this rarely photographed supernova remnant with dense Hα and OIII filaments and dust clouds.
Sainty’s second recognized image was a wide-field mosaic of luminescence, reflections, and dark nebulae that impressed the judges with the contrast of cosmic structures.
Morefield’s images of NGC 3981 reveal a galaxy that is unraveling, trailing spiral arms as its structure disappears.
astro landscape
Chay’s magical shot of the Milky Way over a volcanic snowfield was praised for its perfect harmony of earth and sky.
Caswell’s innovative use of UV light brings rock formations and the Milky Way to light in a stunning combination of technology and creativity.
Hudson’s panoramic compositions captured the beauty of the aurora borealis caused by solar flares, blending landscape and night sky into stunning images.
remote imaging
At just 16 years old, Shapiro used remote imaging to uncover newly discovered features of the universe, showing the radiation from the Wolf-Rayet star WR134 in breathtaking detail.
Carpenter secured second place in this category by capturing a precise image of the Cocoon Nebula’s comet-like tail against the backdrop of Hydrogen Alpha.
Walter’s images of the cotton wool galaxy NGC 3521 impressed the jury with its soft, woolly appearance.
