Nicole Scherzinger at the “The X Factor” TV show, Series 14, Episode 15, Judges' Houses in Sun City, South Africa on October 21, 2017. (Photo by Dymond/Thames/Syco/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

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)

Reflected in the rearview mirror, Jose Collantes gets a hug from daughter Kehity while they're stopped at a red light, as Jose drives his five-year-old home from a playdate in Santiago, Chile, Sunday, September 6, 2020, three months after they lost his wife, her mother, to COVID-19. Their case highlights how COVID-19 deaths the world over are often the beginning of a new personal journey for those affected. (Photo by Esteban Felix/AP Photo)

A sеx worker participates in a march to raise public awareness on human rights issues in their profession on International Day to End Violence Against Sеx Workers in Skopje, Macedonia December 17, 2016. (Photo by Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters)

UK Love Island's Maura Higgins attends the Pretty Little Thing X Molly-Mae party at Rosso on September 01, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

Italian-American actress and model Julia Fox and American actress Chloe Fineman attend the Marshall Columbia x Cash App Pink Party during NYFW on September 7, 2023. (Photo by Deonté Lee/BFA.com)

Mamediara attends the Met Gala Party for Jean Paul Gaultier x Shayne Oliver Group held at Sapphire in Manhattan on May 6, 2024. (Photo by Jeenah Moon for The Washington Post)

In this image released on November 2, model Alva Claire is seen during Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 presented by Prime Video in Simi Valley, California; and broadcast on November 9, 2022. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 presented by Prime Video)