‘Incredible’ Milky Way shot wins South Downs darkish skies images competitors

The contest, which attracted greater than 130 entrants, was held to mark the tenth anniversary of the park being named as an International Dark Sky Reserve.

The high prize was awarded to Michael Harris for his photograph Ancient Light which captures the Milky Way over an deserted barn in Balsdean Valley close to Brighton, East Sussex.

Judge Dan Oakley, a darkish skies skilled and astro-photographer, stated: “I think this is an incredible and realistic photo of what the South Downs Dark Skies experience is.

“It’s beautifully framed.”

Mr Harris, from Brighton, stated: “The site has had a long history with Roman occupation, as a medieval hamlet, use as accommodation during the Second World War and for farming.

“All of which have long since come and gone in the time it has taken for the light from the Milky Way above to reach us, which is approximately 26,000 years.”

Read extra: The Week in Pictures: A dragon strikes into Kew Gardens, whereas Andrew strikes out of Windsor Great Park

Read extra: The Week in Pictures: Why did a bunch of monks embark on a 2000 mile stroll? And might anybody perceive Bad Bunny?

Winning the Life At Night class was Richard Murray’s {photograph} of a snail beneath The Plough asterism, which he named Snail Trail To The Stars.

Judge Elinor Newman, who organises the nationwide park’s Dark Skies Festival, which runs till February 22: “This really does encapsulate life at night, with the snail, flora and lichen.

“The image has incredible detail, captures a moment and takes me to another place. A very inspiring image.”

Mr Murray, from Waterlooville, stated: “The shot took a lot of patience and a surprising amount of suspense, waiting for the exact moment when my tiny, mucus-powered model lifted both antennae toward the cosmos above.

“Eventually, the stars, the snail, and the timing all lined up, and I got the shot I’d been hoping for.”

{A photograph} named Jellyfish Nebula by Nigel Stanbury, of Haslemere, Surrey, received the brand new South Downs To Deep Space class for his picture of a supernova situated 5,000 light-years away.

Mr Oakley stated: “It looks like a jellyfish, but it’s not, it’s the remains of an exploding star. It looks straight out of Star Trek.”

Mr Stanbury stated: “The image is of the so-called Jellyfish nebula located in the constellation of Gemini, the twins.

“It is the remains of a star larger than our sun that exploded as a supernova many thousands of years ago, blowing off a cloud of gas that has been expanding ever since and glows as it collides with surrounding gas and dust.

“The image was taken over three nights, and needed 22 hours of exposure to bring out the colours and show the finer details of the faint structure.

“It has taken light 5,000 years to reach us, so the image shows the object as it appeared 5,000 years ago.”

Other winners and particulars of the darkish skies pageant will be discovered here.