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Winners: Our Solar System
This category is for photos of our Sun and its family of planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
Earth and Space | Our Solar System | Deep Space | Young astronomy photographer | Special prizes
Winner
Transit of Venus 2012 in Hydrogen-Alpha by Chris Warren (UK)
6 June 2012
What the photographer says:
‘A single unprocessed raw frame shot between second and third contact. Our first and only glimpse of the transit before third contact, through a thin patch in the clouds at Blackheath in London.
Lunt LS60THa telescope; Point Grey Grasshopper Express (ICX674) camera
What it shows:
In previous centuries, careful observations of transits of Venus were used to make the first accurate measurement of the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Expeditions were sent out around the globe to ensure that at least some observers would avoid the curse of cloudy skies. This image, taken from London in 2012, sums up the anxious excitement of transit chasers throughout history: miss it and you may have to wait more than a century until the next one!
What the judges say:
Marek Kukula says: For me this picture perfectly captures the excitement of the 2012 transit of Venus. After getting up at 4am on a cloudy morning it really didn’t look as though the British weather was going to co-operate. But then, with just minutes to go, a gap appeared in the clouds and we got a precious glimpse of Venus in front of the Sun.
What Flickr members say:
MikeMey67 says: Beautiful
Runner-up
Mars in 2012 by Damian Peach (UK)
March 2012
What the photographer says:
‘The entire face of Mars during its aphelic opposition of 2012 where the apparent diameter reached only 13.9 arcseconds. Many interesting details can be seen such as clouds surrounding the giant Tharsis volcanoes, and rifts and outlaying patches of ice around the north polar cap.’
356mm reflector; PGR Flea3 camera
What it shows:
This sequence of photographs uses the rotation of Mars to build up a complete view of the planet’s surface. It shows the gleaming north polar cap of water ice and frozen carbon dioxide, the red equatorial deserts and the darker southern highlands. The photographer has captured an amazing level of detail, including wispy clouds in the thin Martian atmosphere.
Highly commended
Venus Transit by Paul Haese (Australia)
9 June 2012
What the photographer says:
‘I wanted to record this for history and this was my last chance. Never again will I see Venus transit the Sun. I hope my six-panel mosaic is a fitting tribute.’
Coronado Solarmax 60 0.5A telescope; Imaging Source DMK41 camera; 6 panel mosaic with 750 frames in each panel
What it shows:
This is a spectacular view of the active Sun, streaked and blotched with filaments, sunspots and prominences. Venus, a world almost exactly the same size as the Earth, seems dwarfed by the scale and power of our local star.
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The Moon is a wonderful object to photograph, with constant changes of view throughout the lunar cycle.
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Photographing a comet is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which can be achieved with relatively modest equipment.
Highly commended
Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd by Graham Relf (UK)
19 March 2012
What the photographer says:
‘Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) has been visible from the UK for many months. It never reached naked-eye visibility but could be seen through binoculars. Its orbit is hyperbolic so it has come from outside the Solar System and will not be seen from Earth again. My photograph shows how the comet moved relative to the stars in 38 minutes. The brightest star here is magnitude 6.4.’
SkyWatcher 254mm Newtonian telescope; HEQ5 equatorial mount; f/4.8 lens; Canon 5D Mark II camera; ISO 6400; 32-second exposure
What it shows:
To bring out the greenish glow of the comet’s halo the photographer has used a long exposure. The star trails show how he has tracked the comet’s orbital motion to keep it in the centre of the frame. Comet Garradd was discovered in 2009 as it approached the inner Solar System. It became visible through binoculars in 2011.
Highly commended
Worlds of the Solar System by Damian Peach (UK)
February–May 2012
What the photographer says:
‘Four different worlds: The slender crescent Venus just a week before transit on 28 May. Mars on 29 February showing the famous Syrtis Major feature at the centre, and brilliant clouds over the Elysium Mons volcano on the right. Jupiter on 1 February showing Ganymede in transit, with Europa on the right, and its shadow cast onto the planet. The Great Red Spot is also prominent. Saturn close to opposition from 21 April, showing the remains of the giant storm from the year before, as well as fine details within the ring system.’
356mm reflector; PGR Flea3 camera
What it shows:
This portrait gallery features four of our planetary neighbours in exquisite detail. The photographer shows the relative sizes of the planets as they appear to an observer on Earth. In reality Jupiter and Saturn would dwarf the other planets, but they are both much further away from us.