Astrophotography contest winners announced by nPAE

nPAE proudly announces the winners of the 2024 Southern Hemisphere Astrophotography Competition, showcasing the remarkable talents of astrophotographers from around the globe. After careful consideration by a panel of expert judges, the winners have been selected based on originality, technical proficiency, and creative execution.

2024 Southern Hemisphere Astrophotography contest winners

First place has been awarded to Ali from Australia for the captivating image titled "The Fish and the Bull Skull." This stunning photograph, which earned Ali a £200 prize, features a rare celestial duo: the Betta Fish Nebula and an unnamed supernova remnant, known as G296.5+10 or ESO 217-25. These fragments are the remnants of a supernova that exploded 14,000 years ago, visible exclusively from the Southern Hemisphere. Capturing such an elusive target was no small feat. The nebula is incredibly faint, even under dark sky conditions, making this a challenging subject to photograph.

Ali's technical expertise is evident in the execution of this image. Utilizing a Founder Optics 106 F6 triplet refractor telescope, paired with a ZWO 2600mm Pro camera and ZWO accessories such as an EFW (electronic filter wheel), EAF (electronic automatic focuser), and AM3 mount, Ali captured this dim object over the course of 27 hours across multiple nights. The use of narrowband Ha (Hydrogen-alpha) and O3 (Oxygen-III) filters helped to isolate specific wavelengths of light, which were then processed in the HOO (Hydrogen-Oxygen-Oxygen) palette. The final image was stacked and processed using PixInsight, a powerful astrophotography software, resulting in a visually stunning and scientifically significant image.

The judges praised this submission for its originality and the rarity of the subject. Ali’s work exemplifies the dedication and skill required to capture such faint celestial objects, and the result is a breathtaking image that highlights the wonders of the Southern Hemisphere night sky.

Second place: The Great Eta Carinae Nebula NGC3372

In second place, Carlos from Peru earned a £50 nPAE discount voucher for his impressive rendition of the Great Eta Carinae Nebula. This massive star-forming region, one of the brightest nebulae visible in the Southern Hemisphere, was expertly captured using a Newton 800/200 f/4 telescope mounted on a Skywatcher EQ6R-Pro. Carlos employed a ZWO ASI 294mm Pro camera and used 7nm Ha, OIII, and SII filters to capture intricate details across different wavelengths of light.

Carlos’s image was processed in PixInsight, where advanced techniques like star alignment, gradient correction, and noise reduction were employed to bring out the finest details in the nebula. The use of pixel math in the SHO (Sulfur-Hydrogen-Oxygen) palette, along with careful adjustments to contrast, saturation, and star reduction, resulted in a highly detailed and vibrant image. Additional post-processing work in Adobe Photoshop further enhanced the final result.

The judges were particularly impressed by the high level of detail in Carlos’s image and the meticulous post-processing work that brought the nebula to life. His dedication to achieving a visually stunning and technically accurate image was clearly evident.

Third place: Wide field Carina Nebula

Third place was awarded to Kartik from the UK, who took advantage of a vacation in Hamilton, New Zealand, to capture a wide-field image of the Carina Nebula. Kartik’s inventive approach combined the joys of astrophotography with travel, resulting in a remarkable image that stood out to the judges. Using a Nikon D750 (astromodified) camera with an AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G lens, Kartik managed to capture 200 untracked exposures of 10 seconds each at f/2.2 and ISO 1600.

This wide-field image was processed using a combination of ASTAP for stacking and PixInsight for detailed adjustments. The final touches were applied in Adobe Photoshop, resulting in a well-balanced and visually compelling image that showcases the grandeur of the Carina Nebula. The judges commended Kartik for his creativity and the resourcefulness of combining astrophotography with his vacation.

The 2024 nPAE Southern Hemisphere Astrophotography Competition has once again highlighted the talent and dedication of astrophotographers from around the world. Each of the winning images demonstrates not only technical skill but also a deep passion for capturing the beauty of the night sky. nPAE congratulates all the winners and looks forward to seeing more inspiring astrophotography in the future.