Out of This World: Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015 Shortlist

The Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year is an annual competition run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. This gallery contains the shortlisted images submitted to the contest by astrophotographers from all over the world, allowing you to witness some of the most spectacular visions of the cosmos.

1/17

© Photo : Brad Goldpaint (USA)

A meteor framed in the majesty of the Milky Way set against the peak of Mount Rainer in Washington, USA.

2/17

© Photo : Jan R. Olsen (Norway)

The Northern Lights, as seen above Lyngenfjord, Troms county Norway.

3/17

© Photo : Michael Jaeger (Austria)

Comet Lovejoy, making its way through our solar system, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

4/17

© Photo : Julie Fletcher (Australia)

An incredible lightning storm, set against the beauty of the Milky Way, taken in South Asutralia over the Kati-Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park.

5/17

© Photo : Stefano de Rosa (Italy)

The full moon setting behind the Alps, as seen on Superga hill in Turin, Italy.

6/17

© Photo : Terry Robison (Canada)

The Carina Nebula, the largest diffused nebulae that we can detect, four times as large as the more famous Orion Nebula.

7/17

© Photo : László Francsics (Hungary)

The stellar nursery of the Lagoon Nebula, in the constellation of Sagittarius some 5,000 light years from earth. It is possible to see this star-forming nebulae with the naked eye on a clear sky.

8/17

© Photo : Patrick Gilliland (UK)

The Jellyfish Nebula, in the contellation of Gemini, containing the remains of an ancient supernova which may have exploded as long as 30,000 years ago.

9/17

© Photo : Patrick Gilliland (UK)

The Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, which is home to the Orion Nebula, the Horsehead Nebula, Barnard's Loop and the Running Man Nebula.

10/17

© Photo : Stefano de Rosa (Italy)

The moon shining over Monte Antelao at San Vito di Cadore, Italy.

11/17

© Photo : Rune Engebo (Norway)

A dramatic image of the Northern Lights caotured on January 21, 2015 over the peaks of Senja, Norway.

12/17

© Photo : Juan Ignacio Jimenez (Spain)

The Rosette Nebula on the edge of a molecular cloud in the constellation of Monoceros the Unicorn.

13/17

© Photo : Gary Palmer (UK)

A striking image of our very own sun, capturing searing hot loops of plasma radiating from the surface.

14/17

© Photo : Dan Barr (USA)

Star trails captured above a campfire-lit Green Lake in the Hoover Wilderness of California.

15/17

© Photo : Xiaohua Zhao

A stargazer on the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.

16/17

© Photo : O Chul Kwon (Korea)

A very rare red aurora captured over Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories in Canada.

17/17

© Photo : Adam Block (USA)

Thor’s Helmet, located about 11,000km away.