I missed The Astronomy Photographer of the Year when it came out earlier but when I saw the entries they blew me away so much I just had to highlight some of them. They really do make you aware of the beauty of the world above us. Do you have a favourite? Can you guess the winner? Feel free to guess the one I liked most too if you like.
Northern Lights over the Siberian forest (Kamil Nureev)
The Aurora Borealis in Stokksnes, Iceland (Mikkel Beiter)
Dust and gas in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex (Artem Mironov)
A composite image covering six months of Venus (Roger Hutchinson)
The Milky Way as taken over the Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina (Yuri Zvezdny)
The path of the stars over the course of one “stellar day”, where the Earth fully rotates on its axis (Andras Papp)
In the Transit of Mercury, the smallest planet in the Solar System passed directly between the Earth and the Sun (Alexandra Hart)
Large craters whose floors have been filled with lava (Jordi Delpeix Borrell)
Alex Raphael 
I’m going with No.1 but they’re all spectacular. The one with Mercury and the Sun just makes you realise how small we really are in such a big galaxy.
It really does. Everything is in scale when you think about it. I’d love to see The Northern Lights live.
Me too Alex, me too.
Number one for me, too, for its composition
That is the popular call 🙂 The first two are the most striking ones for me. The winner was actually the third one, which goes to show how subjective the judging can be.
Northern Lights, number 1 is my fav… Looking at all the photos, a sentence comes to my mind “What a Wonderful World”… Thanks for sharing, Alex!
It is sublime. Just an extraorindary vision. It is a wonderful world indeed. So much beauty when you look around, and when you look up 🙂
My favourite is the Northern Lights over the Siberian forest. Was that the winner? Which one do you like most Alex?
You’d have thought it would be. It was actually the third one. It is more scientific, but the first one really is more striking.
Holy, Moly! What fine pictures. I like the Borealis pictures the best.
I know. They complement each other so well. I’d love to see them up close. Must be the most beautiful night sky to look at. An explosion of beautiful colour and design.
I’ve always wanted to be in picture one.
Here’s hoping 👌
I would have gone for Andras Papp’s circles.
They are very striking. And certainly very original.
Stunning. Makes you realise how vast the universe is and how small we are.
For sure. And it’s that kind of imagination tha fits in well with The Twilight Zone 😄
Stunning images, especially the first one! Thank you for sharing, Alex!
Happy to share them. Always try and highlight stunning photography. They really do just grab you.
Thank you again, Alex!
I’m going with the first one too. Seeing the Northern Lights is definitely on my to do list.
I really hope you get to go. And the images it would provide for your poetry. Not that you’re short of colours.
Thanks. One day.
Yes! Definitely #1! 😍
It’s just stunning. Like from a different world.
I love the first one and the gap between the northern lights is astonishing! The fifth one also has a magical almost fantasy feel to it. I’m impressed with anyone who even attempts astronomy photos – a lovely striking post and thank you for sharing! 😀
It really is. Every synonym for beautiful you could use. You can feel inspired to write a short story or poem from it.
Now there’s an idea…I’ll remember that! 😀
The second one is definitely my favourite.
It is dreamlike for sure. Just so gorgeous.
Alex, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful images! The first three are absolutely breathtaking. Seeing the Northern Lights is on my list. Hope to experience them with someone special someday…soon. 😊
Take me with you if you go haha
Then there were 3…
These pics are amazing! I love the first three!!!😍
They really are something. I’d love to see the Northern Lights in person.
Same here!!!
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