Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2021 shortlist revealed

Amy Woodyatt, CNN

Breathtaking images of a lavender field lit up by the Milky Way, a panorama of Iceland’s Northern Lights over a frozen estuary, and a hazy sunrise in Shanghai are among those shortlisted for this year’s 2021’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

Limitations on travel may have been in place for millions of people globally this past year, but amateur and professional photographers have still managed to capture stunning images from our planet and beyond.

Now in its 13th year, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year is run by London’s Royal Observatory Greenwich.

“Despite all the challenges that last year brought, the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 13 has once again received thousands of astounding images,” organizers said in a press release.

The competition saw more than 4,500 images submitted by amateur and professional photographers across 75 countries.

Among them are jaw-dropping images of the second smallest planet in the solar system, a comet passing over neolithic monument Stonehenge, and the path of the full moon over Paris at night during one of the city’s lockdowns.

The competition winners will be announced on September 16 at an online award ceremony, and displayed in London’s National Maritime Museum that same month.

More than 30 images have been shortlisted and the gallery above features a selection of entries.

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