Royal Museums Greenwich have revealed the shortlist for this year’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Winners will be announced on 11 September 2025, with an exhibition at National Maritime Museum of winners and commended images on display from 12 September 2025.
Out of 5,500 images submitted from amateur and professional photographers, shortlisted images show some of the year’s astronomical highlights including the solar eclipse visible from North America, plus a moonrise over the Dolomites, the Northern Lights and captures of comets.
From Royal Museums Greenwich: Awe-inspiring scenes of the Milky Way, dancing aurorae and serene galaxies are all features of the shortlist for this year’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year. The competition is run by Royal Observatory Greenwich, supported by ZWO and in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine. In 2025, the competition received over 5,500 entries from passionate amateur and dedicated professional photographers, submitted from 69 countries across the globe. Shortlisted images include a moonrise over the Dolomites [featured above], red-hued Northern Lights at Mono Lake, California and Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS).
One of this year’s astronomical highlights was the solar eclipse visible from North America. Included in the ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year category is a 22-megapixel panorama capturing the event. Total Solar Eclipse by Louis Egan shows the different stages of the solar eclipse, photographed from Canada. Further highlights include peaks in solar activity. PengFei Chou’s photograph 500,000-km Solar Prominence Eruption shows a massive solar outburst that lasted approximately an hour.
In this year’s competition, The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation has become The Annie Maunder Open Category where entrants can experiment with different approaches to astronomy art, showcasing high concept, creative work. The striking image, Neon Sun by Peter Ward, uses images taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) remapped with a more vibrant palette. The same coronal data is turned ’inside out’ to surround the Sun, creating the illusion of it being enclosed in a neon tube.
The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is now in its seventeenth year and returns with an expert panel of judges from the worlds of art and astronomy. The winners of the competition’s nine categories, two special prizes and the overall winner will be announced on Thursday 11 September. The winning images will be displayed in an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum from Friday 12 September, alongside a selection of exceptional shortlisted images. The competition’s official book, published by Collins in association with Royal Museums Greenwich, will be available exclusively on-site and online at Royal Museums Greenwich from the exhibition opening date. It will then be available more widely from bookstores from Thursday 25 September.
Sam Wen, Founder and CEO of ZWO said ‘We are honoured to support the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition — a tribute to those who turn their eyes to the stars and share what they see with the world. At ZWO, we believe that astrophotography is not only a way to record the cosmos, but also a way to inspire curiosity, foster education and build communities that transcend borders. Everyone deserves a chance to connect with the Universe — and through our support, we hope to bring that experience to more people.’
ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year Exhibition:
- National Maritime Museum, London
- Opening12 September 2025
- rmg.co.uk/shortlist
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