Updated
Updated · Royal Museums Greenwich · Nov 22
ZWO Reveals 2026 Astronomy Photo Shortlist From Nearly 4,000 Entries
Updated
Updated · Royal Museums Greenwich · Nov 22

ZWO Reveals 2026 Astronomy Photo Shortlist From Nearly 4,000 Entries

3 articles · Updated · Royal Museums Greenwich · Nov 22

Summary

  • Nearly 4,000 images from 769 entrants made up the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026 field, with organizers now unveiling a selection of shortlisted works.
  • The revealed images span moonrises over Seattle and Paris, Comet C/2025 A6 above the Swiss Alps, aurorae in Norway and Iceland, and deep-sky targets including Andromeda and the Helix Nebula.
  • The shortlist also includes solar and planetary studies, from a 14-year-old entrant’s H-alpha Sun image to composites of lunar phases, Mars after opposition and a 182-day solargraph.
  • 17 September is the date for the online awards ceremony, when the full shortlist, winners and runners-up will be announced.

Insights

Beyond awards, how are amateur photographers' images now accelerating professional astronomical discoveries?
As satellite mega-constellations grow, how long can photographers still capture these pristine cosmic views?