• Winners of the annual Reach for the Stars astrophotography competition announced –

A massive star nearing the end of its life, a moonrise above Bray Head, the Milky Way from a cave and the Northern Lights, are among the 2024 winning images in the ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

Taking the winning prize in the ‘Back on Earth – Landscape’ category, was an image of May’s spectacular aurora borealis over Fanad Head Lighthouse in Donegal. The image, ‘Fanad Head – Aurora 2024’, was taken by Patryk Sadowski, from Derry City.

Tom O’Donoghue, from Malahide in Dublin, was the winner of the ‘Back on Earth – Landmark’ category. The winning image ‘Sentinel’ captures the Baltimore Beacon standing watch as the Milky Way rises over the ocean.

Commenting on the winning images in the ‘Back on Earth’ categories, Professor Peter Gallagher, Head of Astrophysics at DIAS and a member of the judging panel for ‘Reach for the Stars’, said: “The photographer took advantage of the opportunity to shoot Fanad Head Lighthouse from a different perspective and it paid off. Having seen lots of aurora shots this year, this one really stood out to us for the creativity and imagination. Tom O’Donoghue’s ‘Sentinel’ shows how even the most familiar landmarks can still be captured in new ways. The judging panel loved how the Milky Way provided a stunning backdrop for the lone sentinel.

Martin McCormack, from Glasnevin, Dublin claimed first prize in the ‘Out of this World – Deep Sky’ category. The winning image ‘The Jewels of the Swan’ captures the Crescent Nebula, a 25 light-year-wide emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus. Featured in the image is a star at the centre of the nebula shedding its outer layers into space resulting in a dense shell of scorching hot material giving the nebula its shape.

The winner in the ‘Out of this World – Planetary’ category with his image of the moon rising over Bray Head was Anthony Lynch from Stoneybatter, Dublin. Capturing this image involved a last-minute 200-yard dash down the beach for Anthony, to ensure he had the shot lined-up perfectly.

Anthony also scooped the top prize in the Public Choice category. His image ‘Cave Man’ which captured the Milky Way from a cave at Goat Island, Ardmore, received the most votes in the online public vote. This year over 5,000 people cast their votes online for their favourite image.

Prof. Gallagher continued, “Although the Crescent Nebula is a bright one, it can be notoriously difficult to capture. This photographer really put in the hours and studied their craft to create a beautiful image that is truly captivating. The moon rising over Bray Head is another example of a familiar landmark being captured in a new and creative way. We loved the simplicity of this image showcasing the journey the moon takes through our sky.”

The inaugural ‘Night Sky in Your Hand’ category was won by Seanie Morris, from Blueball, Co.Offaly, with his image ‘Sam and Lucy’s first BIG aurora’ which shows the silhouettes of his children against the backdrop of May’s spectacular aurora display. The images in this category had to be taken on a smartphone, and without telescopes, of an astronomical scene.

Judges’ Feedback

The winners were selected by a judging panel following a meticulous review process of over 200 entries. In addition to Prof. Peter Gallagher, the judging panel included Brenda Fitzsimons, former Picture Editor, The Irish Times; Michael McCreary, President, Irish Astronomical Society; and Niamh Breathnach, Director, Alice Public Relations.

Commenting on the competition, Michael McCreary, President of the Irish Astronomical Society and member of the judging panel, said: “This is my second year to be involved in the judging process and I continue to be amazed by what people are capturing in our night sky. The perseverance and attention to detail of all the entrants is evident in all of the images submitted to the competition this year – whether they have been selected as winners or not. I’d encourage anyone with an interest in the night sky and photography to join a local astronomy club or society to get involved and see what they might capture.”

Echoing Michael’s comments, Brenda Fitzsimons, former Picture Editor, The Irish Times, said: “I was delighted to be involved in the competition again this year. From auroras to the Milky Way and everything in between, it amazes me how photographers continue to capture every corner of our universe in new and unique ways. The images give us an insight into what’s happening in the universe around us every day, something we may not take notice of all of the time.”

Fellow judge Niamh Breathnach, Director of competition sponsors Alice Public Relations, remarked: “As ongoing sponsors of the competition, it’s been exciting to see how astrophotography has evolved over the last four years. Each year we are treated to new takes on familiar targets or previously unseen objects in our night sky. The rise in entries this year and the numbers taking part in the public vote show that more and more people are curious about what is happening around us. We had a very difficult job in selecting our winners from all of the amazing images.”

DIAS playing key role in space research

Commenting on the success of the competition, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to the winners of the competition on their spellbinding entries. Each year I am blown away by the talent and creativity of astrophotographers in Ireland. What is most important is that the images are a window into what is happening in our universe, and they can contribute to our understanding of the night sky.

“Astrophotography is about the interactions between humanity and the universe, and it can be a tool to engage the general public in science and astronomy. At DIAS, we are extremely proud of our involvement in the area of space research with initiatives like the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland, a historic partnership between DIAS – Dunsink Observatory, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and Birr Castle Demesne. We are delighted that the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland has come on as a sponsor for this year’s competition.

“It’s exciting to see such high numbers of engagement with the competition this year in both entries and the public vote. We hope that more people stop by to visit the physical exhibition at Burlington Road over the coming weeks to appreciate the images in person. I’d like to thank all of those who entered for sharing their passion and creativity with us. I hope that the night sky continues to be a source of inspiration, creativity and wisdom going forward.”

Outdoor Exhibition

The winning images, along with a selection of the judges’ top-rated images in the Reach for the Stars competition will be available to view as part of an outdoor exhibition, from Friday, 26  July 2024. The exhibition will hang at the railings of DIAS Headquarters at 10 Burlington Road, Dublin 4 and is free to attend.

The winning images are all available to view now online on www.reachforthestars.ie.

DIAS’s ‘Reach for the Stars’ competition is run in partnership with The Irish Times, and is sponsored by Alice Public Relations and the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland. The Irish Astronomical Society are initiative supporters.