Aurora Australis from Beerbarrel Beach, by James Stone. Runner Up: Aurorae. (Photo by James Stone/Astronomy Photographer of the Year)

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.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) right, embraces Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Four Democratic progressive Congresswomen make a statement during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on July 15, 2019 in Washington, DC about President Trump's remarks telling them to “ego back” to their home countries which they deemed “eblatantly racist” attacks. (Photo by Carol Guzy/Imago Images/ZUMA Press)

A view through mist shows the Kirk of Saint Mary Magdalene in Primorsk, Leningrad Region, Russia on March 24, 2019. (Photo by Anton Vaganov/Reuters)

Nearly two dozen New Standard Academy students showed up in their finest threads at the school on Flint's north side on Saturday, May 14, 2022 before heading to the Infinity Yacht in St. Clair Shores in the Safe Harbor Jefferson Beach Marina for dinner and dancing at “A Starry Night” theme prom. (Photo by Jake May/MLive.com via AP Photo)

Nepali members of the LGBT community take part in a Gay Pride parade in Kathmandu on August 8, 2017. Scores of gays, lesbians, transvestites and transsexuals from across the country took part in the rally to spread their campaign for sexual rights in the country. In 2013 Nepal introduced citizenships with a third gender option and began issuing passports reflecting the same in 2015. (Photo by Prakash Mathema/AFP Photo)

A long exposure image shows star trails from the abandoned submerged orthodox church of St. Nicholas without roof, submerged in the Mavrovo Lake, near Mavrovi Anovi, North Macedonia, 17 March 2019. Constructed in 1850 and submerged in 1952 due to the construction of the hydro system Mavrovo, the church St. Nicholas continues to attract the attention of almost every visitor as it peaks from the water. (Photo by Georgi Licovski/EPA/EFE)

This week's full Moon as photographed from on board the International Space Station by NASA astronaut Jeff Williams on August 19, 2016. Jeff is currently Commander of the Space Station for the Expedition 48 crew. (Photo by Jeff Williams/NASA)