The winners of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 have been announced. Edward Bloomer, an astronomer and competition judge, shared his personal highlights and showcased some of the winning and shortlisted entries for the competition, which was organized by the Royal Observatory in London. According to Bloomer, the universe itself is the playground for astrophotographers.
This year’s winning photograph captured the Andromeda galaxy in deep space. The image, taken by Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, and Yann Sainty, not only impressed aesthetically but also revealed a previously unseen region of ionized oxygen. Bloomer mentioned that although the exact nature of this region is still unknown, it can now be characterized to a certain extent, and investigations are underway.
The Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition is currently open at the National Maritime Museum in London.
