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)

Sean Phillips flies through the air as he demonstrates the JetLev water propelled jet pack that is strapped to his back at the Yacht & Brokerage Show on February 17, 2012 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A boy sits on his father's shoulders to look at strawberries at the 7th International Strawberry Symposium on February 18, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Full length portrait of female skier, Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, USA. (Photo by Anatoliy Gleb/Getty Images)

An Indonesian vendor fixes a headscarf on a mannequin at a market in Jakarta in this December 21, 2006 file photo. (Photo by Reuters/Beawiharta)

People look at a funnel cloud formed near the beach in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, September 21, 2020. (Photo by Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo)

A reveler takes part of the Light Festival parade in San Jose, Costa Rica on December 14, 2019. (Photo by Ezequiel Becerra/AFP Photo)

Brazilians perform capoeira on the first day of Carnival celebrations on February 16, 2012 in Salvador, Brazil. Rio de Janiero's Carnival begins tomorrow. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)