Dancers from Malaysia's pavilion perform wearing face shields due to the coronavirus at Expo 2020, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, October 3, 2021. (Photo by Jon Gambrell/AP Photo)

A CatCon attendee poses at CatCon LA 2023 at Pasadena Convention Center on August 06, 2023 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sarah Morris/Getty Images)

An Aardvark is weighed by keeper Harry Maskell during a photo-call at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo on August 23, 2022 in Dunstable, England. As part of their regular check-ups, 10,000 animals are having their vital statistics recorded as a way of keeping track of their health and well-being at the UK's largest Zoo. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

It has become tradition in Wigan in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom for residents to go out on the town in fancy dress for Boxing Day on Sunday, December 26, 2021. Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide. (Photo by Joel Goodman/London News Pictures)

Members of contemporary circus group perform inside the subway train, amid the energy crisis in Prague, Czech Republic on March 2, 2023. (Photo by David W. Cerny/Reuters)

A three minute time exposure shows the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Launch Complex 40, Thursday, January 7, 2021 in Port Canaveral, Fla. The rocket is carrying the Turksat 5A satellite for Turkey. (Photo by Malcolm Denenark/Florida Today via AP Photo)

Artists perform during the 137th Nice Carnival parade in Nice, southeastern France, on February 19, 2022. The Carnival takes place until February 27, 2022 on the theme “King of animals”. (Photo by Valery Hache/AFP Photo)

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)