L’astrophotographie est cette discipline renversante qui se consacre à la photo des ciels étoilés et de l’espace. Cette année, ce sont près de 4200 photographes provenant de 91 pays différents qui ont soumis leurs clichés. Les images sélectionnées sont absolument fabuleuses et retranscrivent avec précision la magnificence des ciels et de la voie lactée. Ce concours, qui rend grâce à la beauté de l’univers qui nous entoure, permet surtout de rendre à portée de main l’immensité. Le 23 octobre dernier, un jury composé d’experts et de personnalités a décerné un prix pour 11 catégories. Retour sur quelques lauréats et ‘pré-sélectionnés’ de ce concours ‘cosmique’ qu’est le ‘Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year’.

NB : le National Maritime Museum présente l’exposition « Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year, 10 years of the world’s best space photography » jusqu’au 5 mai 2019.

1. PEOPLE AND SPACE, WINNER & OVERALL WINNER

   Transport The Soul, ©Brad Goldpaint (USA)

   Material : Nikon D810 camera, 14 mm f/4.0 lens, ISO 2500, 20-second exposure

   « Our planet is of extraordinary beauty and so is the entire Universe. Here we are, standing small, at the edge of a cliff, observing it all. » Oana Sandu, Community Coordinator for the European Southern Observatory

   2. OUR SUN, WINNER

   With Sun King, Little King, and God of War, ©Nicolas Lefaudeux (France)

   Material : Nikon D810 camera, AF S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED lens at 105 mm f/1.4, untracked tripod, ISO 64, multiple exposures of 0.3-second, 0.6-second and 1.3-second

   « Almost unbelievably brilliant! With the detail and breathtaking starkness- captured in the corona, we could be forgiven for thinking we were seeing an eclipsed pulsar. » Jon Culshaw, Comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night­

   3. YOUNG COMPETITION, WINNER

   Great autumn morning, © Fabian Dalpiaz, aged 15

   Material : Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera, 50 mm f/2.0 lens, ISO 6400, 8-second exposure
   « With a painterly style and beautiful composition this photograph has a quality that is beyond the years of the photographer. The softness of the shadows cast by the Moon’s delicate light alongside the majesty of the mountains as they interact with our galaxy make this a truly fine piece of art. » Ed Robinson, Award-winning photographer, creative director, visual consultant and founder of OneRedEye Visual Communications

   4. OUR MOON, WINNER

   Inverted colors of the boundary between Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquilita- tis, © Jordi Delpeix Borrell (Spain)

   Material : Celestron C-14 telescope, Sky-Watcher NEQ6 Pro mount, ZWO ASI 224MC camera, 4200 mm f/12, multiple 20-millisecond exposures
   « This is one of my favourite photographs in the competition. Using a muted colour palette we are able to appreciate qualities of the Moon’s soil and contou- ring, which is at once incredibly beautiful, abstract and highly informative. » Sarah Pickering, Award-winning artist and Teaching Fellow at the Slade School of Fine Art

   5. STARS AND NEBULAE, WINNER

   Corona Australis Dust Complex, © Mario Cogo (Italy)

   Material : Takahashi FSQ 106 ED telescope, Astro-Physics 1200 GTO mount, Canon EOS 6D Cooling CDS Mod camera, 530 mm f/5, ISO 1600, 6-hour total exposure
   « Each year these images become more and more tangibly real and three dimensio- nal. The depth and texture in this shot make it difficult to take your eyes away. Your view weaves all around as if within a maze. » Jon Culshaw, Comedian, impersonator and regular guest on The Sky at Night