ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year is the largest international competition of its kind.

Every year we showcase the best space photography from a global community of astrophotographers.

The competition is open to all. An expert panel of judges will then select the best images from each category and together decide on the winning images.

These winning and shortlisted photos then go on display at the National Maritime Museum in our dedicated photography gallery space.

About the competition

Competition
How to enter
Could you take a winning astrophoto? Find out more about the prizes, categories and entry dates
Exhibition
Visit this year's exhibition
See the winning images at the National Maritime Museum
Look back at past winners
Astronomy Photographer of the Year has been held every year since 2009. Take a journey back in space and time and explore all the past winning images
Read more

Learn how to take incredible images of the night sky with expert advice from astronomers and award-winning photographers

Landscape photo of three people on a golden green Austrian mountain standing around a large telescope which has a big metal frame and is around 5.5 feet tall

Finding community through astrophotography

Sophie Paulin and Tom Williams struck up a friendship in an online astrophotography forum. Discover how they combined their expertise to win a prize in Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Colour mapped image of Earth

Anatomy of a habitable planet: Earth as you've never seen it before

Sergio Díaz Ruiz uses satellite imagery to explore climate change by creating an image of Earth as it might be analysed by a distant alien civilisation
Photo of two young brothers looking up into the lenses of a large telescope, the one on the right has his arm around the other

A stellar duo: two young astrophotographers shooting for the stars

Meet the youngest entrants in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024: brothers Benjamin and Joshua Lawler
A sequence of telescope images stacked together to show the progression of a solar eclipse. A black semi-circle is visible on the left, with bands of yellow marking the changing amount of light as the Moon passes in front of the Sun

Beads of sunlight: photographing an annular solar eclipse

Ryan Imperio's spellbinding image of our Sun earned him the top prize in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024
Image of dry mud terrain where the sea is out, with a curved path through the landscape with water in and big cracks in the mud. Rotted wooden sea defenses come out from the land. Behind in the blue sky are star trails forming concentric curved lines

'Out with the camera, my senses are heightened' – behind the lens with Paul Haworth

Discover the vibrant nocturnal world of East Anglian astrophotographer Paul Haworth, shortlisted in 2024's Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition
Solar Flare X1 from AR2994 in 'Motion' by Miguel Claro

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 15: In conversation with entrants and winners

Listen to interviews with shortlisted and winning entrants from the 2023 competition
Image of blue circle of water forming a unique pattern of droplets against a black background

Seeing the sound of a black hole: the story of Black Echo

How do you picture something that is invisible and inaudible to humans? Artist and photographer John White has the answer
A woman takes a photograph using a DSLR and a tripod. She is standing in a forest in front of grey rocks, wearing an orange-red coat, her camera facing the viewer

Behind the lens with Monika Deviat

Dancer, educator, heavy metal fan and astrophotographer, discover more about the Aurorae winner of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023
Image of turquoise curved arc or cloud next to the Andromeda Galaxy

Andromeda, Unexpected - how three amateur astronomers and astrophotographers changed our view of the Universe

Learn about the brand-new discovery that earned Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner and Yann Sainty the title of Astronomy Photographer of the Year – and a place in the science books 
See all

Never miss a shooting star

Sign up to our Space newsletter to keep up to date with the latest news from the Astronomy Photography of the Year competition and exhibition

Sign up

Sponsors and partners

Main image: Serpentine © Paul Haworth – Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024

Book your tickets to the exhibition

Image showing mountain and rocks in foreground, with rippling emerald aurora in the sky behind the mountain, which is reflected in a pool of water

Special exhibition

Astronomy Photographer of the Year

  • The world's greatest space photography
  • Over 100 images on display
  • Entry to National Maritime Museum included

Currently free

No need to book

Member tickets

  • Unlimited free entry
  • Priority booking and exclusive events
  • Access using your membership card
Membership card number required
BOOK NOW
A father and son look through a porthole on the main deck of historic ship Cutty Sark

Become a Member

  • Unlimited entry all year
  • Royal Observatory
  • Cutty Sark
  • Planetarium Shows
  • Special exhibitions
Direct DebitOne-off
Individual: £65Individual: £75
Family: from £75Family: from £85
JOIN TODAY