The overall winner of Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 16 is Ryan Imperio for his photograph, Distorted Shadows of the Moon’s Surface Created by an Annular Eclipse, that captures the progression of Baily’s beads during the 2023 annular eclipse.
Baily’s beads are formed when sunlight shines through the valleys and craters of the Moon’s surface, breaking the eclipse’s well-known ring pattern, and are only visible when the Moon either enters or exits an eclipse. These are a challenge to capture due to their brevity and the precise timing needed. The image will be on display alongside the winners of the other categories in the accompanying exhibition, opening at the National Maritime Museum on Friday, September 13.
Mr Imperio said: “The images selected each year are absolutely astonishing and I am both thrilled and honoured to have my photo among them. I had hoped my image would be shared in some way, but never expected to be selected as a winner, let alone overall winner.”
The Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is run by Royal Observatory Greenwich, supported by Liberty Specialty Marketsand in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine. For the 2024 competition, there were more than 3,500 entries from 58 countries
1. EMBARGOED 12 SEPTEMBER 2024 19:30 BST Skyscapes Winner Winner Tasman Gems © Tom Rae (New Zealand) This photograph shows the rugged peaks of the Tasman Valley reaching up to the impressive features of the southern hemisphere summer night sky. Taken with a Nikon Z 6 astro-modified and Nikon Z7 cameras, iOptron SkyGuider Pro mount, Sigma 40 mm / f/1.4 Art and Sigma 28 mm f/1.4 Art lens, Sky: ISO 1,600, 40 mm f/1.8, 31 x 30-second exposures; Foreground: ISO 100, 28 mm f/10-14, 9 x 4-second exposures
Skyscapes Winner - Tasman Gems by Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand | Tom Rae
2. High auroral activity provided the opportunity to try and capture Aurora Borealis from Brighton seafront by drone. Taken with a DJI Mini 3 Pro built-in camera, 6.7 mm f/1.7, Sky: ISO 6,400 2-second exposure, Foreground: ISO 200, 0.5 and multiple 1-second exposures
Highly Commended - Aurora Borealis over Brighton Seafront by Michael Steven Harris | Michael Steven Harris
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3. In this image the photographer was able to capture a dwarf planet, Ceres, more than a billion times smaller than its galactic counterpart, transit beyond the galaxy’s spiralling arms.
M100 (The Blowdryer Galaxy) and Ceres by Damon Mitchell Scotting | Damon Mitchell Scotting
4. The Aurora Australis captured above the mountains in Queenstown. It is a 19-image panorama capturing all the fast-moving beams that lit up the sky. Taken with a Canon EOS R5 H-alpha modified camera, 35 mm panorama f/2.8, ISO 3,200, Sky: 8 second-exposure, Foreground: 30-second exposure
Queenstown Aurora by Larryn Rae New Zealand | Larryn Rae