From the top of a building, Kanon Kennedy, of Washington, looks down at the Black Lives Matter mural as demolition begins, Monday, March 10, 2025, in Washington. (Photo by acquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
A Chinese man wears a mask to protect against pollution as he waits at a red light while commuting to work in heavy smog on December 8, 2015 in Beijing, China. The Beijing government issued a 'red alert' for the first time since new standards were introduced earlier this year as the city and many parts of northern China were shrouded in heavy pollution. Levels of PM 2.5, considered the most hazardous, crossed 400 units in Beijing, lower than last week, but still nearly 20 times the acceptable standard set by the World Health Organization. The governments of more than 190 countries are meeting in Paris to set targets on reducing carbon emissions in an attempt to forge a new global agreement on climate change. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Hindu devotees, their bodies pierced with lemon and paladai, or bowl with a spout mainly used to feed milk to infants, wait to participate in a procession to mark Shivratri, or the night of Shiva, in Chennai, India, Wednesday, February 18, 2015. Such processions are held as an offering and show of devotion by devotees on the day dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. (Photo by Arun Sankar K./AP Photo)
Contestants of a tattoo competition pose for photographs at the China TATTOO convention in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, October 24, 2015. The annual convention was held in Nanning from October 23 to 25 this year. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)
A beachgoer walks past a buoy that washed ashore after Hurricane Isabel made landfall September 19, 2003 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Udomsak Ratanotayo, left, and Suttinan Boonsomkiat wear storm trooper costumes while donating blood at the Thai Red Cross in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday, April 28, 2014. Thai Star Wars fans will donate blood and give toys at an orphanage as part of a promotional campaign. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)
Starting on Monday, August 12, Perseid meteors will streak across the summer sky for a couple of nights, offering casual stargazers and serious nighttime photographers a chance to capture a glimpse of the annual meteor shower. Photo: Photographer David Kingham created this composite image from 23 photos on August 12, 2012. (Photo by David Kingham)
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.