A spectacular aurora stretching across the night sky, enormous clouds of interstellar dust, and distant celestial objects captured in remarkable detail. These are just some of the sights featured in the 2026 Astrophotography Prize, where photographers from around the world have once again shown what a camera, the right equipment, and plenty of patience can achieve.

Established in 2023, the Astrophotography Prize is an international competition organized by astrophotographers for astrophotographers. Now in its fourth year, the contest attracted approximately 500 entries from 22 countries, with participants competing across four categories: Astro Landscape, Aurora, Deep Space, and Remote Imaging. Each category showcases a different aspect of astronomical photography, from familiar landscapes illuminated by the night sky to distant galaxies, nebulae, and other celestial phenomena.

Below, we’ve gathered a selection of this year’s winners and finalists for you to explore. Take a look at these remarkable images, and don’t forget to let us know in the comments which photograph impressed you the most!

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#1 Orion Above Mount Taranaki By Evan Mckay

Finalist in the Astro Landscape Category Location: Mount Taranaki New Zealand Photographer's statement: “This is a multilayer 2 panel mosaic in full colour and duoband data of the Comet C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS with Orion above Mount Taranaki. All was shot with 135mm lens on location.”

This year’s highest honor, Astrophotographer of the Year, went to New Zealand photographer Evan McKay for his image captured at Cathedral Cove. The photograph, which also won the Astro Landscape category, combines 24 panels photographed before and during moonrise. The judges praised its impressive detail, carefully balanced composition, and atmospheric quality. McKay also received the competition’s $3,000 grand prize, sponsored by the Chabot Space & Science Center in California.

#2 Panorama Of The Milky Way By Matteo Strassera

Finalist in the Astro Landscape Category Location: Rub' al-Khali Desert Photographer's statement: “Panorama of the Milky Way captured in Rub' al-Khali desert, in the UAE. A solitary figure is framed between two elements, the cosmos and the dunes, both immutable but in constant evolution.”

#3 Beacon By Kavan Chay

Finalist in the Aurora Category Location: Waipapa Point, New Zealand Photographer's statement: “This Aurora Australis display was so expansive, it needed a 12 frame panorama to capture the full display, with another 6 to capture the lighthouse in the foreground.”

Other category winners included Australian photographer Jason Perry, whose photograph of the northern lights over Norway’s Lofoten Islands won the Aurora category; Marzena Rogozińska from Poland, who took first place in Deep Space with her image of the dark clouds in the Chamaeleon constellation; and China’s Alpha Zhang, whose photograph titled “Galileo’s Finger” earned a unanimous Gold rating from all five judges in the Remote Imaging category.

#4 Milky Way And Orion By Łukasz Remkowicz

Finalist in the Astro Landscape Category Location: Betlejemka, Poland Photographer's statement: “Betlejemka, the Polish Alpine Association’s training center in Hala Gąsienicowa, beneath the winter Milky Way and Orion, photographed at the peak of the Geminids.”

#5 Daytime Aurora By Jason Perry

Finalist in the Aurora Category Location: Lofoten Islands, Norway Photographer's statement: “A single ribbon of the Aurora Borealis rises above the moonlit mountains of Norway's Lofoten Islands, reflected in the calm waters below.”

One particularly interesting aspect of the Astrophotography Prize is its judging approach. Rather than keeping the evaluation process behind closed doors, the organizers broadcast judging sessions live, allowing photographers and astronomy enthusiasts to hear how experts assess each submission's technical and artistic qualities. Entrants can also receive written feedback, making the competition an opportunity to improve their skills and earn recognition.

#6 Fireball By Matteo Strassera

Finalist in the Aurora Category Location: Senja Island, Norway Photographer's statement: “In this panorama the Northern Lights dance above the peaks of Senja, reflected in a calm river. A flash of light brightens the already lit sky, a fireball with a trail that lasts few seconds.”

#7 Ldn 1295 By Damian Potocki

Finalist in the Deep Space Category Location: Hohe Dirn, Reichraming, Austria Photographer's statement: “LRGB study of LDN 1295, a dark molecular cloud in Cassiopeia whose dusty silhouette traces a giraffe against the Milky Way.”

The 2026 results were also announced alongside “Shared Sky: Photos of Our Universe,” an exhibition and digital festival organized with the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California. The exhibition brings selected photographs to a wider audience, celebrating both the photographers behind them and the extraordinary subjects they capture.

#8 Orion By Troy Casswell

Finalist in the Deep Space Category Location: Southeast Queensland, Australia Photographer's statement: “A multi panel mosaic of the iconic Orion constellation, which is a stellar birth powerhouse. With an abundance of nebulae and stars of all types, it was a challenge to balance everything in this image.”

#9 Alnilam By Kevin Morefield

Finalist in the Remote Imaging Category Location: HCRO New Mexico, USA Photographer's statement: “Instead of treating bright Alnilam as an obstacle, I made it the subject. It is neatly placed in a void between many details in emission, reflection and dark nebulae.”

#10 Lmc Rosette By Kevin Morefield

Finalist in the Remote Imaging Category Location: El Sauce Observatory, Chile Photographer's statement: “As this complex is in the distant LMC, it is really a collection of many objects. I wanted to highlight the similarity with the Rosette. Massive young stars carving out the central cavity.”

#11 Ha Shell By Kevin Morefield

Finalist in the Remote Imaging Category Location: El Sauce Observatory, Chile Photographer's statement: “The orangish reflection nebula is unusual but the full Ha shell was a surprise. I like how the local dust appears both in front of and behind the shell, telling us it is part of the scene.”

#12 Cathedral By Evan Mckay

Astrophotographer of the Year Award Winner of the Astro Landscape Category Location: Cathedral Cove, New Zealand Photographer's statement: “This is a multilayer 24 panel mosaic taken from Cathedral Cove before and during a moonrise. I timed it in such a way that I was able to finish capturing the sky just before the moon started to rise.”

#13 Aurora Borealis Dance By Jason Perry

Winner of the Aurora Category Location: Å, Lofoten Islands, Norway Photographer's statement: “The Aurora Borealis dances above the mountains of Å in Norway's Lofoten Islands, its vibrant green light reflected across the calm waters below.”

#14 Wings Of The Night By Yu Li

Finalist in the Aurora Category Location: Fairbanks, Alaska, USA Photographer's statement: “Wings of the Night: Emerald aurora wings cradle a vibrant core, framing the seven stars of the Big Dipper as quiet sentinels in the deep sky. taken in 3/22/26 at Fairbanks, Alaska.”

#15 Chameleon Dark Clouds By Marzena Rogozińska

Winner of the Deep Space Category Location: Hakos, Namibia Photographer's statement: “The Chameleon Dark Clouds in the constellation Chamaeleon, captured from Namibia. The image reveals intricate streams of interstellar dust illuminated by delicate blue reflection nebulae.”

#16 G156.2 By Mateusz WIśniewski

Finalist in the Deep Space Category Location: Czarne, Poland Photographer's statement: “G156.2+5.7 is one of the largest and most faint supernova remnants in our sky. Located on the border of Auriga and Perseus. Spans nearly 3 degrees—six times the diameter of the full Moon.”

#17 Galileo's Finger By Alpha Zhang

Winner of the Remote Imaging Category Location: Sichuan, China Photographer's statement: “Galileo’s Finger Through a Faint Hα Veil: A near-threshold Hα veil rather than a bright red sea: dust sets the direction, Ha builds the depth, and distant galaxies still thread through the field.”

#18 Dark Nebula By Kevin Morefield

Finalist in the Remote Imaging Category Location: El Sauce Observatory, Chile Photographer's statement: “With a globular; reflection, dark and emission nebulae, and HH objects, this target has it all. I felt the Ha was critical to add dynamic color and fully represent the glow of HH objects in the dust.”

#19 Milky Wave Above The Wave By Jason Perry

Finalist in the Astro Landscape Category Location: Coyote Buttes North, Paria-Canyon Wilderness, Arizona, USA Photographer's statement: “The Milky Way arches above the Wave in Arizona, where sculpted sandstone curves surround the night sky in one of the most remarkable landscapes on Earth.”

#20 Rotten Fish Nebula By Brian Puhl

Getaway Award Winner Location: North Carolina Photographer's statement: “LDN 1251, the Rotten Fish Nebula. A dark nebula of rich brown dust in Cepheus. A little over 19 hours of LRGB from my North Carolina back yard.”

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The 2026 Astrophotography Prize Winners Show Just How Incredible Our Universe Is (20 Pics)