The 31 Out-of-this-World Winners of Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Photographer Ali Alobaidly gained this yr’s Royal Observatory Greenwich ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18 competitors. Alobaidly’s extremely detailed, ethereal photograph of the predator-like Shark Nebula earned the photographer a £10,000 prize, equal to just about $13,400.

Ali Alobaidly Is This Year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Alobaidly’s successful photograph, The Quiet Predator, is a ravishing take a look at the Shark Nebula. The Shark Nebula (LDN 1235) is sort of 650 light-years away within the constellation Cepheus. It is a darkish nebula comprised of dense, starlight-blocking mud, which creates its putting shark-like form.

“Sometimes a photograph comes alive through its flawless presentation, pin-sharp details and dynamic contrast of light and dark,” says Steve Marsh, Art Editor at BBC Sky at Night Magazine and competitors decide.

“This is such an image. The Shark Nebula is already a striking object, but when it is resolved to the point where even detail-rich distant galaxies can be seen through it, you know you’re looking at something very special,” Marsh continues.

Alobaidly, whose successful photograph additionally took the highest spot within the contest’s “Stars and Nebulae” class, feels very honored to win such a prestigious astrophotography competitors.

“Receiving this award is a tremendous honor. I am in awe of the extraordinary work of my fellow photographers, each deserving of this recognition,” Alobaidly says.

“The juxtaposition of an oceanic predator prowling the skies above the Kuwaiti desert is something I find deeply poetic, and it is what first drew me to this remarkable region of the sky. To me, it represents perfectly my love for both the Universe and the deserts of my ancestors,” the photographer provides.

Alobaidly says he hopes his astrophotography will encourage others to get outdoors and benefit from the evening sky. The photographer additionally needs to contribute to scientific analysis by way of his images and make astronomy extra accessible and interesting.

“This year’s Overall Winner, The Quiet Predator by Ali Alobaidly, is a stunning blend of technical excellence and artistic vision. Showcasing the intricate structures of a rarely photographed nebula, the image combines remarkable detail with a striking composition and color palette, inviting viewers to explore the hidden beauty of the cosmos,” says Sam Wen, Founder and CEO of ZWO, an astronomy tools and telescope firm and supporter of the annual Royal Observatory Greenwich Astronomy Photographer of the Year competitors.

“A result of exceptional skill, patience and dedication, this outstanding image also marks a historic milestone, as Ali is the first Overall Winner from Kuwait in the competition’s history,” Wen concludes.

Nikolaos Strimpoulis Wins ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year Award

15-year-old Nikolaos Strimpoulis of Greece is that this yr’s ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year. His photograph, Mineral Moon, delivers a stunningly colourful close-up of the Moon, a preferred topic for numerous photographers.

“Many of us start our astrophotography journey with the Moon — some of us stay there forever! But often we don’t delve deep into the subtle colors of its mineral deposits until much later,” says Marsh. “This amazing young astrophotographer has achieved perfectly developed coloring in this photograph.”

Category Winners

Alongside Alobaidly’s total win and Strimpoulis’ large award, ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18 additionally options high three finishers throughout eight main classes, plus high 5 finishers within the ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year part and two particular awards.

Each class winner and Strimpoulis gained £1,500. Each class runner-up will get £500, whereas extremely recommended entries earn photographers £250 every. Special prize winners get £750.

Stars & Nebulae

Aurorae

Our Moon

Our Sun

People and Space

Planets, Comets, and Asteroids

Skyscapes

Galaxies

ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year

The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer

The Annie Maunder Open Category

“I never tire of seeing the new entries into the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. For a sky that, at least in some ways, is remarkably unchanging from year to year, the skill and innovation of the entrants, coupled with improvements in technology, means that there is always a wealth of new sights to be seen even in targets that have been observed many times over,” says Dr. Greg Brown, Royal Observatory Greenwich Astronomer and competitors decide.

“The images from this, the 18th year of the competition, continue to show the growth of a community whose passion to capture the stunning variety of our Universe knows as few bounds as the subjects of their images. The only issue, of course, is how difficult a job this makes for the judges — although, as issues go, it’s a great one to have!”

All the successful images will probably be exhibited on the National Maritime Museum in London beginning tomorrow, September 18, 2026.

---

Image creditRoyal Observatory Greenwich, ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year. All photographers are credited within the particular person captions.