GoKawiilZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year names Shark Nebula image as top winner
Ali Alobaidly's composite of the Shark Nebula, built from 28 hours of observation in the Kuwait desert, won the 2025 ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Category winners included Miguel Claro's sunspot image from Portugal, Stefano Pellegrini's star-trail shot from Botswana, Petr Horalek's Moon-Venus timelapse from the Czech Republic, and Radoslav Sviretsov's aurora photo over an Icelandic church.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The winning images illustrate how long-exposure and stacking techniques let amateur photographers capture phenomena—from distant nebulae to planetary alignments—that are invisible to the naked eye. Competitions like this highlight growing public engagement with astrophotography as equipment becomes more accessible.
- Ali Alobaidly's Shark Nebula image won the overall ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year title.
- Category winners spanned solar, lunar, aurora and night-sky star-trail photography from Portugal, Botswana, Czech Republic and Iceland.
- Some images relied on dozens to hundreds of stacked exposures to reveal detail or motion over time.
Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope — If these cosmic images have you itching to see the night sky yourself, a telescope like the Celestron NexStar 8SE offers a great entry into astrophotography and stargazing. Its computerized mount helps locate nebulae, star clusters, and planets, letting you explore the kinds of celestial wonders featured in this gallery. It's a solid choice for both beginners and more serious amateur astronomers looking to upgrade.
See Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: nature.com — Davide Castelvecchi, 2026-10-01
Published there as: “Gaze into the cosmos and through the eyes of a bee — September’s best science images”
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