Aurorae 2018

Aurorae dazzle us with movement, displaying a glowing palette of greens, pinks, reds and blues, which are caused by the interaction between particles from the Sun and the Earth’s magnetic field. 
 
See this ethereal phenomenon captured in the winning images for the 2018 Aurorae category of Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the year.
 
This image reminds me of one of the end scenes in 2001 - A Space Odyssey. The Aurora creates its own 'landscape'. This is a really well composed shot, beautifully processed.

Pete Lawrence; World-class astrophotographer, presenter on the BBC’s The Sky at Night programme and writer for BBC Sky at Night Magazine

 

Winner - Speeding on the Aurora Lane

© Nicolas Lefaudeu
 
Sony ILCE-7S2 camera, 20 mm f/1.4 lens, ISO 2000, 3.2-second exposure
Eerie and ethereal. The subtle aurora softly glowing over the stone circle has such a mystical quality.

Jon Culshaw; Comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night

 

Runner-up - Castlerigg Stone Circle

© Matthew James Turner
 
Sony ILCE-7R camera, 22 mm f/4 lens, ISO 1000, 30-second exposure
A nicely composed shot with lovely depth of field lent to it from the Moon's reflection receding back to the horizon and also from the aurora overhead, arcing down to meet the island.

Chris Bramley; Editor of BBC Sky at Night Magazine

 

Highly commended - Aurorascape

© Mikkel Beiter
 
Takahashi FSQ 106 ED telescope at 106 mm f/5, LRGB Baader filters, Orion Atlas EQ-G mount, QSI 583ws camera, 530 mm f/5, 36.5-hours exposure

Aurora Borealis on the Coast of the Barents Sea

© Michael Zav'yalov
 
NIKON D750 camera, 20 mm f/4 lens, ISO 2000, 30-second exposure

Holy Light II

© Mikkel Beiter
 
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera, 16 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 3200, 10-second exposure

Ice Castle

© Arild Heitmann
 
Sony A7S2 camera, 14 mm f/2.5 lens, ISO 2500, stacked from multiple exposures

Magic

© Jingyi Zhang
 
Canon 5D Mark III camera, 16 mm f/1.6 lens, ISO 10000, 6-second exposure

Northern Lights #3

© Diana Bodea
 
Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, 19 mm f/4 lens, ISO 1600, 15-second exposure

Aurora with Traffic Trails

© Dusty Dhillon
 
Nikon D800 camera, 14 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 20-second exposure

The Green Castle

© Tommy Eliassen
 
Nikon D810A camera, 14 mm f/3.5 lens, ISO 6400, 8-second exposure

Advent Valley

© Sophie Cordon
 
Canon 5D Mark III camera, 16 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 1250, 10-second exposure

Aurora's Light

© Matthew Newman
 
Canon EOS 6D camera, 14 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 6400, 30-second exposure
 

Empyreal

© Paul Wilson
 
Canon EOS 6D camera, 50 mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 6400, 64 × 10-second exposures
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