An Indian soldier blows fire as he performs an acrobatic manoeuvre known as 'Mallakhamb' during an event in Jaipur on December 5, 2024. (Photo by Himanshu Sharma/AFP Photo)

Fans of US singer Taylor Swift, also known as a Swifties, queue to enter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the first of Swift's three shows in Melbourne on February 16, 2024. Swift is playing to 260,000 fans over three concerts in Melbourne starting February 16 as part of her Eras World Tour. (Photo by William West/AFP Photo)

In this photo provided by Sugar Bowl Resort, snow covers the door of the marketing office at the Sugar Bowl Resort in Norden, Calif., on Monday, March 4, 2024. A powerful blizzard dumped more than 10 feet of snow on the California ski resort, where the marketing team had to dig a tunnel to get to their office door. The storm closed highways and most lifts at ski resorts over the weekend. (Photo by Jacob Banta/Sugar Bowl Resort via AP Photo)

A person suspected of looting is beaten by protesters during demonstrations to mark the first anniversary of the deadly 2024 anti-government protests that drew widespread condemnation over the use of force by security agencies, in Nakuru, Kenya on June 25, 2025. (Photo by Suleiman Mbatiah/Reuters)

Alluvial Fan, China. A vast alluvial fan blossoms across the desolate landscape between the Kunlun and Altun mountain ranges that form the southern border of the Taklimakan Desert in China’s XinJiang Province. Image taken by the ASTER instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite on May 2nd, 2002. (Photo by NASA/GSFC/USGS EROS Data Center)

Girls prepare to take part in a mermaid lesson in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May 28, 2017. Women in Brazil are not unique in their affinity for mermaiding. Classes are held as far away as Texas and some folks wonder if mermaiding will be the next fitness craze. (Photo by Pilar Olivares/Reuters)

A young man “painting” the Eiffel Tower. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). 9th May 1970

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.