Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026 Winners Announced

Ali Alobaidly has been named the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 18. His winning image, titled The Quiet Predator, captures the Shark Nebula located 650 light years away. The exhibition opens at the National Maritime Museum in London on Friday, September 18, 2026.

Alobaidly's photograph reveals a dark nebula in the constellation Cepheus, composed of dense interstellar dust that blocks starlight. Blue reflection nebulae add colour to the scene. The image required exceptional technical skill and patience.

Technical Capture of the Winning Image

The photograph was the result of a complex imaging process. Alobaidly used a specific telescope, mount, and camera setup to achieve the final result. The total integration time for capturing all the necessary light data was 28 hours and 30 minutes.

The Photographer's Vision

Ali Alobaidly expressed deep honour at receiving the award. He described a poetic connection between an oceanic predator in the sky and the deserts of Kuwait. "The juxtaposition of an oceanic predator prowling the skies above the Kuwaiti desert is something I find deeply poetic," Alobaidly said. He aims to use astrophotography to inspire wonder and contribute to science communication.

Judges praised the image's technical and artistic merits. Steve Marsh, Art Editor at BBC Sky at Night Magazine, noted its flawless presentation and pin-sharp details. Sam Wen, Founder of ZWO, highlighted the blend of technical excellence and artistic vision, calling it a historic win as Alobaidly is the first overall winner from Kuwait.

Young Photographer and Category Winners

Nikolaos Strimpoulis won the Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year award for Mineral Moon. This close-up reveals the Moon's coloured mineral deposits, caused by iron and titanium. Steve Marsh commended the young photographer for perfectly developing the subtle colours often overlooked.

Other category winners were also announced. These include Saturnian Equinox by Tom Williams, showing a rare ring-plane crossing of Saturn, Botswana Star Trail by Stefano Pellegrini, and The Crown by Radoslav Sviretsov, which features an aurora. The Annie Maunder Open Category winner is Reverse Astronomy: Mother by Paweł Paweł.

Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer and judge from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, remarked on the constant innovation within the astrophotography community. He noted that improvements in technology and photographer skill continue to reveal new sights in a seemingly unchanging sky.

Exhibition Details

The winning images will be displayed in a dedicated exhibition. It will be held at the National Maritime Museum in London, opening on September 18, 2026. The museum is located on Romney Road and will be open daily from 10am until 5pm.

More information is available on the museum's website.