People and Space 2023: Astronomy Photographer of the Year

The night sky has inspired countless aspects of life as we know it, from stories passed down through generations to scientific discoveries bringing us closer to understanding the cosmos.

Yet, for all the knowledge we might have today, our yearning to comprehend what lies beyond, to contemplate the meaning of the Universe, of life and our place in it, has only intensified.

From silhouetted figures in front of the Milky Way to the International Space Station passing the Moon, the images in this year’s People and Space category highlight our connection to space.

Discover more about the winning images and explore the full shortlist below.

Visit Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Shipwreck surrounded by mist with star trails above

The winning image

Zeila by Vikas Chander

Taken in Hentiesbaai (Henties Bay), Erongo Region, Namibia, 18 September 2022

"The name ‘Skeleton Coast’ conjures up all sorts of demons and horrors in the mind’s eye and rightly so," says Vikas.

"It is one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world due to the strong crosscurrents, heavy swells and dense fog caused by the ice-cold fast-flowing Benguela current.

"Conditions combine to form a deadly cocktail which has resulted in numerous shipwrecks dotting the coast, giving it this moniker. Among the many shipwrecks which lie along the coast, the Zeila is one of the more recent and is therefore still in a well-preserved state."

Equipment used: Nikon D850 camera, 135 mm f/2.8, ISO 200, 30-minute exposure

I really love how the star trails poking through the grey sky provide a stunning backdrop for this stranded ship. It looks as though it’s floating on a sea of fog. It is a hauntingly beautiful image that would be the perfect setting for a ghost story and is one of my favourites from this year’s competition.
Melissa Brobby, competition judge

International Space Station passes in front of the Moon

Runner-up

A Visit to Tycho by Andrew McCarthy

Taken in Florence, Arizona, USA, 4 January 2022

"Our lonely moon hasn't had a human visitor since the final moments of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Yet with the right perspective, sometimes it seems like we're close," Andrew says.

"In this photo, the International Space Station briefly passed between the Moon and my position on Earth, a moment lasting just half a second."

Equipment used: Celestron C11 and Sky-Watcher 14" GoTo Dobsonian telescopes, Astronomik UV/IR cut filter, 2.5x Powermate lens, Hobym Traveller mount, ZWO ASI174mm and Sony A7II cameras, 4,125 mm and 2,000 mm f/10, ISO 300 and 50, 2,000 x 0.2-millisecond and 25 x 1/200-second exposures

Elevated disk sculpture illuminated by LED lights

Highly commended

Close Encounters of the Haslingden Kind by Katie McGuinness

Taken in Haslingden, Lancashire, UK, 26 April 2022

"Haslingden Halo is one of four panopticon sculptures located on the hills of East Lancashire," Katie explains.

The Halo is an 18-metre diameter sculpture illuminated by hundreds of bright LED lights. Seeing the illuminated sculpture, on top of a hill, evokes the image of the movie poster for Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

Equipment used: Sony ILCE-7M4 camera, 20 mm f/4, ISO 160; Sky: 151 x 25-second exposures; Foreground: 5-second exposure