These are the winners of the 5th ANNUAL ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE YEAR competition. More than 1,200 amateurs and pros participated in the competition in which clicks ranging from aurora borealis to a panorama taken by a ten-year-old kid. The photos were taken in various locations around the world. The winners give a more detailed description of how they took the photo and what really inspired them to do so.  

1. EARTH & SPACE :-

WINNER : GUIDING LIGHT TO THE STARS BY MARK GEE (AUSTRALIA)

  

RUNNER-UP : GREEN ENERGY by FREDERIK BROMS (NORWAY)  

 

2. DEEP SPACE:- 

WINNER : CELESTIAL IMPASTO- SB2-239 by ADAM BLOCK (USA)  

 

RUNNER-UP : RHO OPHIUCI & ANTARES NEBULAE by TOM O'DONOGHUE  

 

3. SOLAR SYSTEM :- 

WINNER : CORONA COMPOSITE OF 2012 - AUSTRALIAN TOTALITY by MAN-TO HUI (CHINA)

 

RUNNER-UP : MAGNETIC MAELSTROM bt ALAN FRIEDMAN (USA)

   

4. THE SIR PATRICK MOORE PRIZE FOR BEST NEWCOMER :- 

VENUS TRANIST, FOXHUNTER'S GRAVE, WELSH HIGHLANDS by SAM CORNEWLL (UK) 

  

5. PEOPLE & SPACE :- 

MOON SILHOUETTES by MARK GEE (AUSTRALIA)

  

6. ROBOTIC SCOPE :- 

THE TRAPEZIUM CLUSTER & SURROUNDING NEBYLAE by LASZLO FRANCSICS (HUNGARY) 

 

7. YOUNG ASTRO-PHOTOGRAPHERS :- 

WINNER : THE MILKY WAY GALAXY by JACOB MARCHIO (USA), age 14 

   

RUNNER-UP : GOODBYE SUN, HELLO MOON by ARIANA BERNAL (USA), age 10