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Andromeda, Solar Storms, And A 1 Billion Pixel Image Crowned Best Astrophotos Of The Year

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space-iconSpace and Physicsspace-iconAstronomy
clock-iconPUBLISHEDSeptember 12, 2025
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Andromeda, Solar Storms, And A 1 Billion Pixel Image Crowned Best Astrophotos Of The Year

Talk about breathtaking celestial views!

Dr. Alfredo Carpineti headshot

Dr. Alfredo Carpineti

Dr. Alfredo Carpineti headshot

Dr. Alfredo Carpineti

Space & Physics Editor

Alfredo has a PhD in Astrophysics and a Master's in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces from Imperial College London.

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Space & Physics Editor

Alfredo has a PhD in Astrophysics and a Master's in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces from Imperial College London.View full profile

Alfredo has a PhD in Astrophysics and a Master's in Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces from Imperial College London.

View full profile
EditedbyMaddy Chapman
Maddy Chapman headshot

Maddy Chapman

Editor & Writer

Maddy has a degree in biochemistry from the University of York and specializes in reporting on health, medicine, and genetics.

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BookRead IFLScience Editorial Policy

gas tendrils and bright group of stars are visible in this veyr clear image of the center of the andromeda galaxy

The image (rotated anticlockwise for editorial reasons) shows the beautiful intensity of one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way.

Image credit: The Andromeda Core © Weitang Liang, Qi Yang, Chuhong Yu

Every year, for the last 17 years, the Royal Observatory of Greenwich has awarded the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year, and we are stunned by the sheer amount of photographic talent and celestial beauty that can be combined in this selection of images.

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The winners this year are photographers Weitang Liang, Qi Yang, and Chuhong Yu with a fantastic, fiery view of the core of the Andromeda Galaxy (seen above). The image was taken at AstroCamp Observatory in Spain, and the photographers took advantage of the exceptional observation conditions to snap the breathtaking image.

"We are excited to be awarded and never expected to be the Overall Winner. Thanks to ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year, we have the opportunity to bring our work and the splendour of the universe to everybody," Liang, Yang, and Yu said in a press statement seen by IFLScience.

For each of the nine main categories and two special prizes, there are three awardees: a winner, a runner-up, and a highly commended prize. And there will be an overall winner who will take home a £10,000 prize (around $13,500). This year, The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation has become The Annie Maunder Open Category. The entrants could be more artistic and creative when it comes to showcasing what is possible with astronomy images, and the winning image is indeed extremely creative, as you can see below.

"Once again, ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year offers up some of the best astrophotography in the world," Dr Ed Bloomer, Royal Observatory Greenwich Astronomer and Judge, said. "This year I believe we're particularly strong on images which ask the observer to really think about what they're looking at and investigate just how the astrophotographer has achieved those particular results, this proved true for the judges as well!"

The winning photographs in each category are shown below, while all the images, including the runner-ups and highly commended entries, can be seen at the accompanying exhibition, opening at the National Maritime Museum, London, on Friday, September 12, 2025. 

Aurora

A bright aurora in purple, yellow, and green is visible in the sky as waves are seen moving in fron of cliffs.
The incredible geomagnetic storm of May 2024 created the celestial spectacle captured in this image.
Image credit: Crown of Light © Kavan Chay

Our Moon

Thin multiple arcs of moonlight are visible in the sky, looking like curved threads
This image captures the phenomenon of atmospheric refraction, where moonlight passes through dense layers of Earth’s atmosphere near the horizon, bending in a manner similar to light rays through a prism.
Image credit: The Trace of Refraction © Marcella Giulia Pace

Our Sun

A dark region of the Sun is surrounded by wispy bright structures
The plasma structures of the Sun pop against the dark sunspot.
Image credit: Active Region of the Sun's Chromosphere © James Sinclair

People & Space

This image shows the International Space Station making a close pass of our Moon.
The ISS is much closer to Earth than the Moon, but this apparent positioning makes it look like it's right over there.
Image credit: ISS Lunar Flyby © Tom Williams

Planets, Comets, & Asteroids

the comet's core and its turbulen tail are visible in this detailed image.
Comet 12P/Pons−Brooks reacted visibly to the intensified solar winds associated with the current solar maximum, releasing ions, gas, and dust.
Image credit: Comet 12P/Pons−Brooks Taking a Final Bow © Dan Bartlett

Skyscapes

The photograph captures the twin glacial rivers on either side of a ridge, with the Milky Way stretching across the sky, as well as the famous Southern Cross and the magellanic clouds in the sky.
This is the largest panorama ever captured by astrophotographer Tom Rae. It has more than a billion pixels, created from 62 images stitched together.
Image credit: The Ridge © Tom Rae

Stars & Nebulae

the cluser is a roughly spherical collections of stars - it is surrounges by other many other stars but more spreadout and several gas clouds.
The Great Hercules Cluster looking great in all its glory.
Image credit: M13: An Ultra-Deep Exposure of the Popular Cluster © Distant Luminosity

The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer

a bright meteor cut a fiery straight line across the sky. Andromeda clearly visible behind it.
This photograph captures a serendipitous moment when a brilliant fireball from the Perseid meteor shower appears to graze M31, the Andromeda Galaxy.
Image credit: Encounter Across Light Years © Yurui Gong, Xizhen Ruan

ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year

in a black and white imahe, the waves of drust and gas that make up the orion nebual are visible. Among them, there's the famous horsehead and the flame nebula.
This monochrome image shows some of the most famous details of the Orion Nebula.
Image credit: Orion, the Horsehead and the Flame in H-alpha © Daniele Borsari

Annie Maunder Open Category

starts in jwst have a six spike diffraction patthern that resembles the metal etching inside some meteorite. This image combines the two.
A JWST image is matched with the geometric etchings found inside meteorites.
Image credit: Fourth Dimension © Leonardo Di Maggio

Special Feature

the lights on earth are visible but clearly show the iss in motion. auroral glow can be seen at the edge of the atmosphere. Stars and andromeda galaxy are visible in the sky behind our planet
A 15-second exposure of our planet from space taken by NASA astronaut Don Pettit.
Image credit: Earth From Orbit © Don Pettit

You can view some of this year's shortlisted images here.

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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHEDSeptember 12, 2025

Written by Dr. Alfredo Carpineti

EditedbyMaddy Chapman

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