2024 Astrophotography Prize entries open

The Astrophotography Prize is an international photography competition established in 2023 to celebrate the achievements of astrophotographers worldwide. Organized by a dedicated group of astrophotographers, the competition is designed to support the global community of astrophotographers by helping them refine their skills and derive maximum enjoyment from their hobby. The event offers a unique opportunity for participants to receive both verbal and written feedback from internationally recognized leaders in the field, making it a distinct and valuable experience for all entrants.

2024 Astrophotography Prize entries open

The 2024 Astrophotography Prize is set to be a landmark event, taking place over two days on September 13th and 14th. This year, the competition has been elevated to a dedicated event, emphasizing the importance of live judging and keynote presentations that focus on the main categories: Deep Space, Solar System, Astro Landscape, and Remote Imaging. The event will be accessible to a global audience, with live-streaming and recorded sessions ensuring that enthusiasts from around the world can participate and learn.

The competition is judged by an exceptional panel of international experts, and the prizes are noteworthy, offering significant rewards for the winners. The overall Astrophotographer of the Year will be awarded a Stellarvue SVX102T Telescope, a highly coveted prize valued at $3,344 USD. This telescope is the aluminum tube version of Stellarvue's premier high-performance lightweight 4” f-7 (714mm focal length) air-spaced apo triplet refractor. It includes a Stellarvue F-SV3B 3" dual-speed focuser and an SFFX-1 photographic field flattener, making it ideal for astrophotography.

The competition's structure is built around four main categories, each with its own set of prizes:

Deep Space

• First Prize: QHY367C Full Frame Cooled CMOS Colour Camera valued at $4,000 USD
• Runner-up Prize: Voucher towards the purchase of an astronomy filter/set valued at $1,175 USD
   

Remote Imaging

• First Prize: Full Annual Subscription to Deep Sky West valued at $1,500 USD
• Runner-up Prize: Subscription to Deep Sky West valued at $300 USD
   

Solar System

• First Prize: Atik Infinity Colour Camera valued at $1,179 USD
• Runner-up Prize: Atik GP Colour Camera valued at $473 USD
   

Astro Landscape

• First Prize: Samyang 14mm F2.8 MK2 Lens and Move Shoot Move NOMAD Pro Kit A Bundle valued at $1000 USD
• Runner-up Prize: LRTimelapse Pro 7 license valued at $300 USD
   

The winner of each category will receive a title (e.g., "2024 Deep Space Photographer of the Year"), a trophy, and a sponsor prize. The overall winner will be selected from the first-place winners of each category by a panel of five highly skilled judges who will discuss assessment criteria and vote to determine the Astrophotographer of the Year.

2024 Astrophotography Prize: Over $12,000USD prize pool

The 2024 Astrophotography Prize event will take place over two days on September 13th and 14th, 2024. It was designed as an event that will bring together astrophotographers from around the globe, featuring live judging and keynote presentations across key categories such as Deep Space, Solar System, Astro Landscape, and Remote Imaging. Last year's competition saw participation from 14 countries across five continents, underscoring the event's international reach.

Participants can sign up for the competition through the official Astrophotography Prize website, where they can submit their entries for categories such as Deep Space, Solar System, Astro Landscape, and Remote Imaging. The deadline for submissions will be announced on the website, along with detailed guidelines for each category.

This year's event offers a structured platform where participants can gain detailed feedback from judges recognized as leaders in their respective fields. This approach provides entrants with clear insights and guidance aimed at improving their skills in astrophotography.

The event will also feature a range of significant prizes, including top-tier equipment and subscriptions that are highly sought after within the astrophotography community. By participating in the 2024 Astrophotography Prize, entrants have the opportunity to compete at an international level and receive recognition for their work based on strict assessment criteria.

Astrophotography Prize winner 2023