Astronomy Photographer of the Year short list stuns with Milky Way, sun and aurora images

Aurora Sherbert by MaryBeth Kiczenski is one of several shortlisted Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022 Aurorae images. (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: MaryBeth Kiczenski)

Awe-inspiring scenes of the Milky Way rising, galaxies colliding, stellar nurseries, the luminous aurora borealis dancing across the night's sky and Saturn balanced by its moons all feature in the short list for this year's Astronomy Photographer of the Year.

Clouds of Hydrogen Gas by Simon Tang is among the shortlist for the Our Sun category. (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Simon Tang)

Every year, the Royal Observatory Greenwich runs the competition in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine and supported by Liberty Specialty Markets.

In 2022, the competition received more than 3,000 entries from amateur and dedicated professional photographers from 67 countries.

Oregon coast by Marcin Zając was one of 3,000 entries into the competition.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Marcin Zając)

Short-listed images from this year's competition include the harvest moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor in the United Kingdom, the lights of the Milky Way mirrored by the highest national highway in the world in Tibet, one of the most detailed amateur-produced maps of the lunar south pole, created in the United States, a partial solar eclipse over Italy and the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy captured in Australia exactly 270 years after its discovery.

Hydra’s Pinwheel by Peter Ward was taken in Barden Ridge, New South Wales, Australia. (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Peter Ward)

One of the astronomical highlights of 2021 was the discovery of Comet Leonard, a long-period comet identified by GJ Leonard on January 3, 2021.

It made its closest pass by Earth on December 12, 2021, and was the brightest comet of the year.

Badwater Milky Way by Abhijit Patil is one of the photographs shortlisted in the Skyscapes category. (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Abhijit Patil )

Almost a quarter of submissions to the Planets, Comets and Asteroids category focused on this single comet, including a spectacular image captured in Namibia by Lionel Majzik.

Mr Majzik said the photography was hampered by overcast weather conditions.

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) by Lionel Majzik is up for the Planets, Comets & Asteroids category.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Lionel Majzik)

An Icelandic Saga by Carl Gallagher has been short listed in the Aurorae category.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Carl Gallagher)

The starry sky over the world's highest national highway by Yang Sutie is in the People and Space shortlist.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Yang Sutie)

Now in its 14th year, Astronomy Photographer of the Year has an expert panel of judges from the worlds of art and astronomy.

The winners of the competition's nine categories, two special prizes and the overall winner will be announced at a special online award ceremony on September 15.

Messier 78 by David Loose is in the category for Best Newcomer.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: David Loose)

The winning images will be displayed in an exhibition at Britain's National Maritime Museum until August 7, alongside a selection of exceptional short-listed images.

The competition's official book, to be published on September 29, will also showcase the winning and short-listed entries.

Riverside of Funakawa in spring by Takanobu Kurosaki is among the photos which will be published later in the year.  (Astronomy Photographer of the Year: Takanobu Kurosaki)