Earlier this week I posted a selection of my favorites from a long list of shortlisted images from the newly-announced Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, London.
I short-changed you. Although I tried my best to select the most intriguing and impressive images from each of the nine categories, there were just so many beautiful images that show-off my favorite night sky sights of all—the Milky Way and the aurora—that it deserves a second visit.
Besides, although “astrophotography” is growing as a hobby as cameras improve, that is a very wide category and includes many technical deep-sky close-ups using telescopes. For me, it’s all about “nightscapes” and astro-landscape photography; photos that showcase the night sky.
Since it’s now Milky Way-spotting season across the world (look to the south after midnight from a dark sky destination and you’ll see our galaxy arcing across the sky), here are all of the shortlisted images from the eye-catching Skyscapes category … along with a sprinkling of other Milky Way and aurorae images from other categories.
Enjoy the celestial show!
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
I’m an experienced science, technology and travel journalist interested in space exploration, moon-gazing, exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses,
I’m an experienced science, technology and travel journalist interested in space exploration, moon-gazing, exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, astro-travel, wildlife conservation and nature. I’m the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and the author of “A Stargazing Program for Beginners: A Pocket Field Guide” (Springer, 2015), as well as many eclipse-chasing guides.