The 23rd David Malin Awards are an astrophotography competition, organised by the Central West Astronomical Society in Australia. Part of a series of events during AstroFest, a dedicated annual festival of astronomy in Parkes, Australia.
The competition, named after Dr David Malin, former Scientific Photographer at the Anglo- Australian Observatory, is open to amateur photographers from all over the world, accepting entries in seven categories: Solar System, Wide-Field, Deep Sky, Smartphone Astrophotography, Nightscapes (International Section), Junior Section, Photo Editor’s Choice.
CWAS President John Sarkissian said, “The judging criteria extended beyond technical excellence. We were also looking for aesthetically pleasing images that reflected and captured the beauty, inspiration and wonder of astronomy.”
The overall winner is Stefan Buda with The Lunar Apennines “This stunning image of the lunar Apennine mountain region seems to have been acquired not from the Earth, but from lunar orbit. Hadley Rille, the site of the Apollo 15 landing, is shown in razor sharp relief. The image is deftly processed showing a wealth of subtle grey shading in the terrain: it is simply flawless.”
If you would like to see the winning images in person, head to the CSIRO Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre or check locations for the travelling exhibition organised by the Powerhouse Museum, touring around Australia.
For the full list of finalists including highly commended images, honourable mentions and editor’s choice, head to davidmalinawards.com.
Wide-Field Category Winner: Jarrod Koh – “The Dividing Line”
“This image offers a deeply textured view of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. Achieving extraordinary depth, the composition balances thick molecular dust against this luminous backdrop, where the dark silhouette of LDN 1622 and the subtle blue glow of M78 serve as delicate points of contrast. Jarrod’s 17-hour integration ultimately yields a highly compelling and immersive widefield perspective.”
Deep Sky Category Winner: Andy Campbell – “The Rippling Flames – Chamaeleon III”
“The excellent image draws the viewer in for closer inspection. Beautifully rendered stars with accurate, delightful and natural colour variation provide a jewel like “glitter” to the dark yet deftly revealed Chamaeleon molecular cloud. The two-frame mosaic is flawlessly and precisely framed.”
Nightscapes (international) Winner: Brighton Seeley – “Zenith”
“A masterfully executed 8-panel mosaic capturing a rare, highly geomagnetic storm. From a remote, isolated vantage point, the photographer captured a once-in-a-lifetime display of the Aurora Australis, with vibrant red and green light stretching to the zenith – a testament to both artistic persistence and the immense scale of the Southern Lights.”
Junior Category Winner: Charlie Marzolla – “The Boogeyman Nebula”
“Framing the dark, obscuring dust of LDN 1622 against the glowing Ha emissions of the Orion Cloud Complex, the photographer demonstrates strong processing fundamentals, yielding good star color and well-defined H-alpha regions. Although a slightly dark overall stretch hides some of the intricate dust structures captured during the 28-hour integration, the rendition of the visible dust is highly effective.”
Editor’s Choice Category Winner: Frank Alvaro – “A Dragon’s Egg in a Gossamer Cocoon”
“This is a photograph that rewards the viewer the longer they spend with it. The visual layering, striking composition and extraordinary use of colour create a sense of depth that draws you into the frame. The opposing hues of pink and blue work beautifully together, while the luminous central structure acts as an anchor, pulling the eye ever deeper into the image.”
Ready to shoot the night sky? You’ll find some great tips on astrophotography in our guide to how to photograph the night sky, as well as more articles on astrophotography.
Related reading:
- Best lenses for astrophotography – galactic glass for night skies
- Best cameras for astrophotography
- Night photography: how to take great photos at night
Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.
Follow AP on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Irys.
