In pics: A picture of the Andromeda galaxy wins top spot in astronomy photography contest

The Royal Observatory Greenwich announced the winners of the 15th edition of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year on September 14 during an awards ceremony. This annual competition, hosted by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, attracted over 4,000 entries from individuals representing 64 countries in 2023. A selection of the winning entries was unveiled in July, and numerous captivating images from that shortlist have resurfaced. Take a look!

The top position this year was secured by a photo from the Galaxies category, credited to Marcel Drechsler of Germany along with French photographers Xavier Strottner and Yann Sainty. Their winning image showcases the Andromeda galaxy, and it's titled "Andromeda, Unexpected." The photograph is recognized for featuring a prominent, vibrant blue plasma arc alongside our closest galactic neighbor.

Monika Deviat, hailing from Canada, clinches the title of this year's finest aurora photograph with her creation titled "Brushstroke." The uniqueness of this particular aurora, as highlighted by the competition's panel of judges, distinguishes it from the conventional "earthly perspective." They described it as reminiscent of the artistic styles of brush painting and calligraphy.

Ethan Chappel captured this image of Mars and the moon during the rare celestial event on December 8, 2022, in Cibolo, Texas. Titled "Mars-Set," the photograph depicts the Red Planet descending behind the moon's southern hemisphere, creating a striking and luminous scene during this exceptional alignment.

Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau secured the title of Our Sun category winner with his photograph "A Sun Question." The image showcases a prominent solar filament that resembles a sizable question mark as it emerges from the sun's surface, offering a remarkable level of detail of our star.

Vikas Chander captured this image on the Skeleton Coast, situated along the Atlantic Ocean. Positioned in one of Namibia's northernmost coastal areas, the Skeleton Coast is renowned for its perilous waters.

The photograph, titled "Zeila," is named after the boat depicted in the picture. The vessel ran aground in 2008 and is featured prominently in the foreground. The image combines a 30-minute exposure capturing the billowing fog, with stars creating streaks across the gray night sky overhead.

Runwei Xu and Binyu Wang have been awarded the title of Young Astronomy Photographers of the Year for their captivating photograph titled "The Running Chicken Nebula." This mesmerizing image showcases a harmonious fusion of swirling cosmic hues derived from the Running Chicken Nebula, IC2944. The young photographers skillfully captured this photograph using a 1,900 mm Newtonian telescope, dedicating over 5.5 hours to the exposure process.

The photograph by Angel An portrays an exceedingly uncommon phenomenon known as sprites. These events, akin to lightning, materialise at high altitudes within Earth's atmosphere and are rarely observed from the Earth's surface. Occasionally, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have documented images of sprites. An captured this image, titled "Grand Cosmic Fireworks," from the highest peak of the Himalaya mountains.