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.

The Royal Castle is seen a veil of heavy winter smog in Budapest, Hungary on January 30, 2017. (Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

Artists from Cirque Du Soleil: Totem perform at Royal Albert Hall on January 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Danny Martindale/Getty Images)

Britain Horse Racing, Royal Ascot, Ascot Racecourse on June 16, 2016. Ladies Day Racegoers wear hats. (Photo by Toby Melville/Reuters)

Protesters wave Lebanese flags during a demonstration on March 13, 2011 in Beirut, Lebanon. Tens of thousands of Lebanese opposition supporters demanded Hezbollah be disarmed as they rallied to mark the sixth anniversary of a popular uprising against Syrian troops in the country.

Troops of the Interior Ministry take part in a parade during a ceremony marking the Iraqi Police Day at a police academy in Baghdad January 9, 2016. (Photo by Khalid al Mousily/Reuters)

Ukrainian servicemen fire toward Russian troops with a tank at a position in Donetsk region, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Ukraine on August 12, 2022. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Dressed in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, Maria Berdieva poses for photos to help raise money for Ukrainian troops in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 10, 2023. (Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)