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)

A woman holds her dog to be blessed outside St. Anton Church to mark St. Anton Day, Animal patron saint, in downtown Madrid, Spain, 17 Jan​uary 2022. (Photo by David Fernandez/EPA/EFE)

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)

Members of Myanmar's vovinam team warm up before competing in the vovinam event at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Phnom Penh on May 6, 2023. (Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP Photo)

Model Nikita Dragun gets her hair and makeup touched up backstage at The Blonds fashion show at Spring Place on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Brittainy Newman/AP Photo)

Cosplayer Hayley Wilson, in her handmade costume, poses for a picture at the MCM Comic Con London 2023 at the ExCel Centre in London, Britain on October 29, 2023. (Photo by Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters)

American singer-songwriter Madonna performs during opening night of The Celebration Tour at The O2 Arena on October 14, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)

An Indian one-horned rhinoceros grazes on a dry wetland at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Morigaon district of India's Assam state on April 4, 2025. (Photo by Biju Boro/AFP Photo)