The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18 Shortlist: A Celebration of Celestial Artistry
The Royal Observatory Greenwich has unveiled the shortlist for the 18th edition of the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, a testament to the boundless creativity and technical prowess of photographers worldwide. With nearly 4,000 entries from 66 countries, this year's shortlist showcases a diverse array of celestial wonders, from the awe-inspiring to the technically impressive.
One standout entry is James McBeath's 'Moody Partial Solar Eclipse,' a hauntingly beautiful capture of a solar eclipse through fast-moving clouds. McBeath's dedication to tracking the eclipse for hours in a Leeds park paid off, resulting in a stunning and eerie image. Similarly, Takanobu Kurosaki's 'Setsu-getsu-ka' is a remarkable single-exposure photograph that seamlessly blends cherry blossom trees, a lunar halo, and a snow-capped mountain at the Funakawa River. The timing of the cherry blossoms adds a layer of complexity, as these delicate blooms only last about ten days.
On the aurora front, Jennifer Rogers' 'Pulsing Aurora Eagle' captures the shape of an eagle within a pulsating aurora display over the Lofoten Islands in Norway. This fleeting moment, captured before the aurora vanished, is a testament to the photographer's skill and timing. Yifan Cao's 'Goðafoss Waterfall Outburst' showcases a full-sky display of green, red, and purple above the Goðafoss Waterfall in Iceland, earning him a spot on the shortlist for the Best Newcomer prize.
In the ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer category, 14-year-old 与晨 林 from Xiamen, China, impressed with a high-resolution H-alpha image of the Sun's chromosphere, revealing sunspots, filaments, and prominences in remarkable detail. This young talent's image is a testament to the future of astronomy photography.
Alternative printing techniques are also represented in the shortlist. Ksawery Wrobel's '182-Day Solargraph' is a captivating solargraph image, while Chuhong Yu and Zuoming Wang's 'Andromeda Galaxy Deep-Field Image' is a testament to the power of long-exposure photography, with over 111 hours of total exposure across multiple months.
The competition's key dates and exhibition details are as follows: The nine category winners, two special prize winners, and the overall winner will be announced on September 17, 2026. The winning and shortlisted images will be on display at the National Maritime Museum in London from September 18, and the official book will be available on-site and online from the same date, then in bookstores from October 2. The exhibition is a must-visit for anyone in London, offering a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty and wonder of the universe captured through the lens of these talented photographers.
The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18 shortlist is a celebration of the art of astronomy photography, showcasing the incredible diversity of techniques, locations, and perspectives that photographers bring to the field. It is a testament to the power of human creativity and our innate desire to explore and understand the cosmos.
