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 pistol is lies near the body of a drug suspect who was killed with two others in an alleged “buy-bust” operation before dawn on Friday, September 30, 2016, in Caloocan city, north of Manila, Philippines, in the continuing “War on Drugs” campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte said he would be “happy to slaughter” 3 million addicts. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)

Lebanese actress Rita Hayek shows her 10km medal after participating in the 9th edition of the Women's Race in Beirut on March 19, 2023, under the slogan “Draw Your Path”. (Photo by Anwar Amro/AFP Photo)

A restaurant worker wearing a mask cleans the windows as the restaurant reopens amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Monday, July 6, 2020. Bars, restaurants and beauty salons were allowed to re-open Monday after over three months of quarantine, and are required to observe preventative measures and reduced operating hours only during the day. (Photo by Andre Penner/AP Photo)

Norway’s Daniel Andre Tande falls to the ground during the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Flying Hill Individual competition in Planica on March 25, 2021. (Photo by Jure Makovec/AFP Photo)

American soldiers leaping from an armoured personnel carrier during exercises in Korea, 17th March 1954. (Photo by Three Lions)

American actress Paris Jackson pulls faces at photographers during the “Melbourne Cup” race day festivities in Melbourne, Australia on November 7, 2017. (Photo by Media-Mode/Splash News and Pictures)

Awkwafina poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy for “The Farewell” at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, January 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)