Gorgeous galaxies and stunning stars make up this selection of pictures from the shortlisted entries for this year’s Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year award. The winners will be announced on 15 September, and an exhibition of the winning images will be will be displayed in a free exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Centre from 17 September. Here: “Seven Magic Points”. The rusty red swirls of the circular, iron sculpture Seven Magic Points in Brattebergan, Norway mirror the rippling aurora above. (Photo by Rune Engebø/Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2016/National Maritime Museum)

These spectacular images of the universe are the finalists in the 2016 CWAS “David Malin” awards. The annual competition, which celebrates the best astronomy images taken by Australian photographers, is part of AstroFest 2016. The winners will be announced on 16 July. An associated exhibition opens the following day at the CSIRO Parkes Observatory visitors centre, and a second exhibition will also travel to selected venues around Australia. Here: Mars and its Rival Antares and the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. (Photo by Phil Hart/CWAS/The Guardian)

South Korean police officers show their martial arts' skills during the official launch ceremony of the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit on February 15, 2012 in Seoul, South Korea. The Korean National Police Agency launched a security squad, exclusively established for the successful hosting of the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. The 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit will be held in Seoul from March 26-27, 2012. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Ballet dancer and performer Ashlee Montague of New York wears a gas mask while she dances in Times Square as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continued in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., March 18, 2020. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Handout grab taken from YouTube of Commander Chris Hadfield who has said goodbye to life on the International Space Station by making a cover version of David Bowie's Space Oddity. Issue date: Monday May 13, 2013. (Photo by Commander Chris Hadfield/YouTube/PA Wire)

A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Reagan National Airport with a thunderhead to the east on June 20, 2017 in Alexandria, VA. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

A landscape photographer has captured a stunning picture of the Isle of Wight's iconic Needles emerging from the sea mist early February 2023. Jamie Russell captured this moment on the most western part of the island. (Photo by Jamie Russell/IslandVisionss/Bournemouth News)