The 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year award winners have been revealed, and they are as amazing as ever. With his image “Disconnection Event,” Austrian photographer Gerald Rhemann has won the top prize and £10,000 out of over three thousand entries from 67 different nations.
The amazing photograph shows Comet Leonard’s gas tail detaching from the comet’s core and being swept away by the solar wind. This remarkable image was captured on Christmas Day in Namibia in 2021. The brightest comet of 2021, Comet Leonard, won’t be seen from Earth again. The judges, who were “swept away” by the image, unanimously decided to give it the first-place award.
“I was astounded when I first saw this picture of Comet Leonard. This latest trip to our Solar System has been nicely caught in this image. The comet’s tail appears mystical because of the background stars. I could spend all day staring at this picture “said Melissa Brobby, a judge.
The Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year award went to two 14-year-old Chinese boys who collaborated on the photograph “Andromeda Galaxy: The Neighbor,” which they sent into the competition.
Yang Hanwen commented, “I think this picture demonstrates how beautiful our nearest neighbor is,” and Zhou Zezhen added, “One of the main purposes of astrophotography is to entice more people to fall in love with astronomy by demonstrating the beauty of the Universe.”
With his shot “The International Space Station Transiting Tranquillity Base,” American photographer Andrew McCarthy won the People and Space category.
According to Judge Imad Ahmed, Director of the New Crescent Society, the image’s background for the inquisitive ISS is the Moon’s ancient stony expanse. This, in my opinion, reflects not just our species’ infatuation with the Moon but also potentially offers a glimpse into the possibility that one day, all of us will have the chance to set foot on its surface.
Aurorae, nebulas, stars, and much more could be found among the other outstanding winners and highly commended submissions.
Lun Deng won the Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer for their February 2021 photograph of the Milky Way rising over Minya Konka Mountain, the highest peak in Sichuan, China.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich in London will host an exhibition beginning on September 17 that includes all of these breathtaking images and more.
