This Year's Shortlist For Astronomy Photographer of the Year Will Leave You Speechless

Space is a frontier that is constantly providing awe-inspiring discoveries and wonders. From beautiful galaxies and star clusters, to alien-looking gas clouds that simply look too artificial to be natural. The Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of Year Awards recognize the best photos of our "extra-terrestrial" domain and phenomena surrounding it. These photos are on the shortlist for the award this year which includes the following awards:

Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Stars and Nebulae
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Our Sun
People and Space
Aurorae (Northern Lights photos)
Our Moon
Planets, Comets, and Asteroids
Skyscapes
Galaxies

There are also two special prizes being awarded - The Annie Mulder Prize for Image Innovation, which recognizes the best usage of telescope image data to develop a rendering. And the Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer, which is for exactly what it sounds like. So be dazzled and amazed with some of the most incredible interstellar and otherworldly pictures from around the world.

1
The Green Lady

This picture is of an anomalous and incredible display of the Northern Lights over Hamn i Senja, Skaland, Norway

Via Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Shortlist Gallery | Nicholas Roemmelt
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2
The Many Jets and Shells of Centaurus

The jets released from Centaurus A have astounded scientists for years. This amateur photo is believed to be the first time an amateur photographer has managed to capture the "jet" (red trail on the upper left side)

Via Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Shortlist Gallery | Connor Matherne
3
The Moon And the Shard

The Shard in London, England is one of the pinnacles of class and elegance, with some of the finest restaurants and hotels in the city located within the massive glass spire. Illuminated by the Moon it creates an eerie glow in the windows

Via Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Shortlist Gallery | Mathew Browne
4
Iceland

Jökulsárlón, or Diamond Beach in Iceland is a glacial lagoon that is known for it's array of icebergs in a wide variety of shades of blue. It is also one of the top tourist destinations in Iceland. The light of the Aurora Bourealis creates an otherworldly scene as the light illuminates the icebergs at night.

Via Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Shortlist Gallery | Kristina Makeeva
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5
Ineffable

A total solar eclipse over La Serena, Chile on July 2nd, 2019. This occurrence of a total solar eclipse in a specific location is very rare, and happens once every ~375 years.

Via Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 Shortlist Gallery | Alyn Wallace
6
Sunspots AR 2741 and AR 2740

The sunspots AR 2741 and 2740 were discovered in March of 2019, and although these spots remain relatively calm, occasionally they can erupt with solar flares.

Via | Ruslan Ilnitsky
7
Desert Magic

Wadi Rum in Jordan is an incredible desert landscape that is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, and with it's distance from civilization and artificial light, allows for truly spectacular photos of the night sky.

Via | Stefan Liebermann
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8
Dance Over the Swamp

Not often considered when people discuss the Northern Lights, Russia and Saint Petersburg are incredible areas from which the light display can be seen.

Via | Kamil Nureev
9
Galactic Portal

Kiama, Australia in New South Wales. The area of New South Wales was devastated by wildfires earlier this year, but it is good to see such a scene of beauty after so much loss. It is also where the world record for the most stargazers looking at the same spot from different locations was achieved.

Via | Marcin Zajac
10
Painting the Sky

A photo of Polar Stratospheric Clouds over Kilpisjärvi, Enontekiö, Finland. Polar Stratospheric Clouds are clouds that form when water vapor the stratosphere during a period where temperatures are cold enough to cause condensation. These clouds are extremely rare to capture and have usually only ever been seen in photos.

Via | Thomas Kast
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11
Jupiter Rising

This is a data amalgamation of satellite data of Jupiter. The contributor tried for ages to grab a quality photo of the "Red Spot" of Jupiter, but was unable to. So she decided to use the data to create this image, especially since the weather at the time was quite poor for star gazing. The massive storm of swirling ammonia ice clouds is the most striking feature of our Solar System's largest planet.

Via | Stacey Downton