The Royal Observatory Greenwich has revealed the winner of its annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Ali Alobaidly claimed the overall title for his photograph of the Shark Nebula, a dark nebula composed of interstellar dust dense enough to block starlight and located approximately 650 light years away. His image was captured in Kuwait and entered in the Stars and Nebulae category.
Judge Steve Marsh, art editor at BBC Sky at Night Magazine, praised the winning photograph for its technical qualities and visual impact. He noted that the image demonstrated flawless presentation, sharp detail, and dynamic contrast, with the ability to resolve distant galaxies visible through the nebula itself. Alobaidly received £10,000 as the competition’s overall winner.
The photographer expressed his intention to leverage his work for science communication and education purposes, describing the win as a significant honor. The 2026 competition attracted nearly 4,000 entries from 66 countries.
Nikolaos Strimpoulis, aged 15, won the ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year award for his detailed lunar surface image titled Mineral Moon, captured in Athens, Greece. The photograph showcases the Moon’s dark maria regions and bright highlands, with orange and blue coloration resulting from iron and titanium mineral deposits on the surface.
Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, noted that the competition’s entries reflected both technical skill and innovation, alongside advancements in photographic technology. A selection of winning and highly commended images will be displayed at the National Maritime Museum in London beginning later this month.
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