Mesmerizing photos from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest

By Jack Guy, CNN

(CNN) — The phases of Venus, the Aurora Australis and the International Space Station transiting the Sun all feature as category winners in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

Ryan Imperio was named the overall winner for his photograph capturing the progression of Baily’s beads during the 2023 annular eclipse, according to a Thursday statement from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, which runs the competition.

“Baily’s beads are formed when sunlight shines through the valleys and craters of the Moon’s surface, breaking the eclipse’s well-known ring pattern, and are only visible when the Moon either enters or exits an eclipse,” reads the statement. “These are a challenge to capture due to their brevity and the precise timing needed.”

Imperio said that he didn’t expect to win the competition.

“The images selected each year are absolutely astonishing and I am both thrilled and honoured to have my photo among them,” he said in the statement.

Ed Bloomer, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich and a member of the judging panel, said that this year’s competition featured an “abundance of astonishing works.”

Meanwhile, Victoria Lane, a senior curator at Royal Museums Greenwich, said: “The range and skill of images, some seemingly impossible to photograph, is astounding.”

There were more than 3,500 entries from 58 countries in this year’s competition, with the winners going on display at an exhibition opening at the National Maritime Museum in London on Friday.

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

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