The night sky in its entirety was the star in an Australian photography awards which celebrated celestial beauty.
Renowned astrophotographer Alex Cherney was among the judges of the David Malin Awards, which showcased some of the finest features of the night sky and are named after astrophotographer David Malin, “whose philosophy was that astrophotography should blend scientific integrity with artistic beauty”.
Mr Cherney said judges for the awards, run by the Central West Astronomical Society and hosted at CSIRO’s Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre, were looking for the “wow” factor with technical perfection alone not making an image stand out.
“The best astrophotographs aren’t just documentation – they reveal the cosmos in ways that inspire and educate,” he said.
“David taught us that aesthetic qualities come first, followed by presentation, technical competence, and relative difficulty.”
Mr Cherney said each of the six award categories highlighted special techniques, storytelling possibilities or features of the sky.
“All, different ways to inspire us to head outside and look up.
“Whether it’s in the way the Milky Way frames the landscape, the delicate colours in an emission nebula, intricate dust structures, or the perfect moment capturing a meteor or comet.”
View the winners in the photo gallery below.
