The Royal Observatory Greenwich has announced the dates for the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2016 competition – its annual global search for the most beautiful and spectacular visions of the cosmos.
Whether striking pictures of vast galaxies millions of light years away, or dramatic images of the night sky much closer to home, the competition is open for entries in nine main categories.
The Competition is now in its eighth year and will open to entrants on Monday 29 February 2016, offering an increase in prize money for all of the winners with the overall prize winner taking home £10,000.
The nine main competition categories of the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2016 are as follows:
- Skyscapes: Landscape and cityscape images of twilight and the night sky featuring the Milky Way, star trails, meteor showers, comets, conjunctions, constellation rises, halos and noctilucent clouds alongside elements of earthly scenery.
- Aurorae: Photographs featuring auroral activity.
- People and Space: Photographs of the night sky including people or a human interest element.
- Our Sun: Solar images including solar eclipses and transits.
- Our Moon: Lunar images including lunar eclipses and occultation of planets.
- Planets, Comets and Asteroids: Everything else in our solar system, including planets and their satellites, comets, asteroids and other forms of zodiacal debris.
- Stars and Nebulae: Deep space objects within the Milky Way galaxy, including stars, star clusters, supernova remnants, nebulae and other intergalactic phenomena.
- Galaxies: Deep space objects beyond the Milky Way galaxy, including galaxies, galaxy clusters, and stellar associations.
- Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Pictures taken by budding astronomers under the age of 16 years old.
Competition winners will be announced at an award ceremony at the Royal Observatory on 15 September 2016.
The winning images will be showcased in the annual free exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich from 17 September 2016.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich hosts its annual astronomy photography competition in association with Insight Investment and BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
