Winners
Competition winner – Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009
Horsehead Nebula by Martin Pugh (UK)
Congratulations to Martin Pugh who wins the title Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009, with his stunning image of the Horsehead Nebula. The judges were amazed by this image, as Marek Kukula explains: ‘The Horsehead Nebula is one of the most photographed objects in the sky, but this is one of the best images of it I've ever seen. Thirty years ago it would have taken hours of effort on a large professional telescope to make an image like this, so it really shows how far astronomy has come – a fitting way to celebrate the International year of Astronomy in 2009.’
Category winners
Earth and Space
Star Trails, Blue Mountains by Ted Dobosz won our category for pictures of landscape alongside an astronomical subject.
Our Solar System
The judges thought Blue Sky Moon by Michael O’Connell was the best photo of a subject within our Solar System.
Deep Space
Overall winner as well as category winner, Horsehead Nebula by Martin Pugh won the Deep Space section.
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009
Paul Smith, aged 14, from Ireland won the prize for Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009 with his photo titled Occultation of Venus.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year shop
If you’d like a little memento of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009, why not have a look at our selection of postcards, posters and greeting cards. All are available to buy at our online shop and at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
