Goats wait to get unloaded from a vehicle at a livestock market during Dashain, the biggest religious festival for Hindus in Nepal, in Kathmandu, Nepal October 4, 2016. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)

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)

“Sunward”. When the Mediterrenean Mantis opened its wings, It seemed very impressive at the sunshine... Photo location: Nicosia, Cyprus. (Photo and caption by Hasan Baglar/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Japanese chorus girls appear to be drilling in military tactics atop their theater building as they perform salutes, June 30, 1937. The officer is from the Japanese regular army and says the girls display more rhythm in their drills than do the regular troops. (Photo by AP Photo)

A squid swims underwater off the shore of the coastal city of Qalamun, north of the Lebanese capital Beirut, on September 24, 2019. (Photo by Ibrahim Chalhoub/AFP Photo)

Traditional “Tantawawas” bread shaped like children sit on a grave as a Day of the Dead offering at the Villa Ingenio cemetery in El Alto, Bolivia, Monday, November 2, 2020. (Photo by Juan Karita/AP Photo)

Motorcycle enthusiast Gilbert Delos Reyes rides with his pet dog Bogie, in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines, November 26, 2020. (Photo by Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)

A man prepares to tie a black ribbon next to a makeshift memorial during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina Beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. (Photo by P. Ravikumar/Reuters)