{"id":791161,"date":"2024-11-14T10:59:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=791161"},"modified":"2024-11-14T10:59:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T15:59:02","slug":"our-breathtaking-cosmos-new-zealand-astrophotography-winners-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=791161","title":{"rendered":"Our Breathtaking Cosmos: New Zealand Astrophotography Winners Announced"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The New Zealand Astrophotography Competition showcases and recognizes some of the most stunning images of the southern hemisphere\u2019s night sky. This year, photographers from across New Zealand have captured some incredibly breathtaking skyscapes such as amazing auroras, stunning images of our Solar System, and deep-sky marvels.<\/p>\n

Universe Today was proud to be part of this year\u2019s competition, as our own Fraser Cain was one of the judges. <\/p>\n

The overall winner in the competition is a gorgeous view of the Aurora Australis, above, by photographer Tom Rae. Rae said he captured this image during the \u201conce in a lifetime\u201d geomagnetic storm in May of 2024, showing the Milky Way arching over the dramatic landscape of Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. This image also won the \u201cAurora\u201d category. <\/p>\n

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The other categories in the competition include Deep Sky, Solar System, Dark-Sky Places, Timelapse, and new this year are Smartphone Images and a People\u2019s Choice Award, chosen by the public.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a Nightscape category, and the winner \u2013again \u2014 for this category is Tom Rae, showing the bowed Milky Way over a sharp ridge in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ridge\u201d by Tom Rae, winner of the Artistic\/Nightscape category of the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotography Competition. Credit and copyright: Tom Rae. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis image is one of my biggest astrophotography accomplishments to date,\u201d Rae explained on NZ Astrophotography Competition website, \u201cand the largest panorama I\u2019ve ever captured, with the full resolution image containing over a billion pixels from 62 images stitched together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deep Sky<\/h2>\n
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\u201cFirst Amateur Detection of Light Echoes from 19th-Century Great Eruption of Eta Carinae\u201d by Rolf Wahl Olsen in the Deep Sky category of the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotography Competition. Credit and copyright: Rolf Wahl Olsen. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NZ astrophotographer Rolf Wahl Olsen is no stranger to Universe Today readers, as we\u2019ve featured several of his photos for years. Olsen outdid himself with this deep sky photo of Eta Carinae.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first amateur image of light echoes from the 19th-century Great Eruption of Eta Carinae,\u201d Olsen explained. \u201cThese light echoes have been detected by the Hubble Space Telescope and from large observatories such as the CTIO 4m telescope, but this is the first time that amateur images reveal these transient features.<\/p>\n

Olson said his other first amateur detection of light echoes from supernova SN1987a inspired an attempt to try looking for the fainter echoes near Eta Carinae. You can read more about this effort on the NZ Astrophotography website and also at Olsen\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

Solar System<\/h2>\n
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\u201cSolar Fury\u201d by Navaneeth Unnikrishnan won the Solar System Category of the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotgraphy Competition. Credit and copyright: Navaneeth Unnikrishnan.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Navaneeth Unnikrishnan<\/em> captured this stunning view of the full disk of the Sun. Using an H-alpha filter reveals the Sun\u2019s dynamic surface and massive prominences. \u201cA reminder of the incredible power and beauty just beyond our skies,\u201d said Unnikrishnan.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dark Sky<\/h2>\n
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\u201cEndurance\u201d by Abby Keith won the Dark Sky Places category of the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotgraphy Competition. Credit and copyright: Abby Keith. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Abby Keith captured this stunning dark sky photo while on a five-day hike in New Zealand\u2019s in Fiordland National Park. The view shows Lake Mackenzie, a sub-alpine lake on the Routeburn Track, which is one of New Zealand\u2019s Great Walks. \u00a0<\/p>\n

This panoramic image consists of 16 images for the foreground and 38 images for the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis image is the hardest one I\u2019ve had to work for,\u201d Keith explained. Carrying a 20-plus kg pack was worth it, however, as there were perfect conditions to capture this view.<\/p>\n

Smartphone<\/h2>\n
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\u201cLake Aviemore aurora\u201d by Ian Griffin won the Smartphone category in the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotgraphy Competition. Credit and copyright: Iam Griffin. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This image was was also taken during the famous geomagnetic storm of May 12, 2024. Griffin called it \u201cone of the most epic auroral storms I have ever seen. As my main digital cameras snapped away, I decided to see what my Iphone could do; I was blown away by the results!\u201d <\/p>\n

So are we! For more great astrophotos, check out Griffin\u2019s website. <\/p>\n

People\u2019s Choice<\/h2>\n
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\u201cFather and Son Magic\u201d by Grant Birley won the People\u2019s Choice Award in the 2024 New Zealand Astrophotgraphy Competition. Credit and copyright: Grant Birley. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New this year for this competition is the People\u2019s Choice Award, where after short-list winners were announced, online voting was opened for the public to choose their favorite images. This beautiful and heartfelt image is definitely worthy of being a favorite. You can see more of Birley\u2019s images on Instagram. <\/p>\n

Timelapse<\/h2>\n
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