The Royal Observatory just announced its Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2013 winners. Australian photographer Mark Gee was chosen among a thousand amateur and professional photographers around the globe to win the top title. His work is part of an exhibition of the winning photographers, which opened on Sept. 19 at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The Royal Observatory shared with us the winners and notable mentions of the competition. Their descriptions of the prizewinners can be found below the images.

Javanese people pray before rituals night carnival “1st Suro” (Javanese calender) during Islamic New Year celebrations at Kasunanan Palace on November 14, 2012 in Solo City, Central Java, Indonesia. Javanese will celebrate the national holiday with ceremonies and rituals marking the 1434th Islamic New Year's Eve or “1st Suro”. The parade started from Keraton Kasunanan and is headed by a group of albino buffaloes, known as Kebo Bule. Local people believe that the parade of Heirlooms and Kebo Bule will bring them a better life. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti)

People cheer as the ball drops at midnight in Times Square on January 1, 2015 in New York City. An estimated one million people from around the world are expected to pack Times Square to ring in 2015. (Photo by Andrew Theodorakis/Getty Images)

The eruption of Cordon Caulle began on June 4, 2011, located in the Region of Los Rios in Chile. For about 12 months, people and animals became accustomed to living with the daily fall of ash, which also caused problems in the air traffic in South America. The explosions and lightning during first days of the eruption could be seen from hundreds of miles around. This photograph was taken on the second night of eruption from the town of Lago Ranco. (Photo and caption by Francisco Negroni/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

Three samurai warriors in armour, circa 1880. (Photo by Kusakabe Kimbei). P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution.

“On 24 July 2010, a stampede at the 2010 Love Parade electronic dance music festival in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, caused the death of 21 people. At least 510 more were injured”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Wall art and candles are pictured in the tunnel of the 2010 Loveparade disaster near to where many of the deaths occurred on the first anniversary of the tragedy on July 24, 2011 in Duisburg, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Starke/Getty Images)

In this composite image (top) flooding is seen in the Toowoomba central business district on January 10, 2011 and (bottom) the same location as seen on January 5, 2012 in Toowoomba, Australia. January 10 marks the one year anniversary of the inland tsunami that devestated southern Queensland's Lockyer valley killing 23 people. (Photos by Dan Proud (top) and Lisa Maree Williams (bottom) /Getty Images)

Mist and fog covers fields as the sun rises over the Somerset Levels on January 13, 2012 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)