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)

Ice Age – Tibet, China. “This is the Chinese version of the blue ice lake, Pumoungcuo, at an altitude of 5,070 metres (16,600 feet). This lake in Tibet freezes every winter. At night, under the low temperatures of -20C, you can listen to the sound of the ice cracking while capturing the most beautiful winter sky. The blue ice surface and dazzling Orion constellation create a fantasy landscape. I felt so happy to have the stars as my companion on this magical night”. (Photo by Daniel Zafra Portill/Milky Way Photographer of the Year)

Dance Team Rage Crew perform at BAFTA LA's 6th Annual Christmas Party and Toy Drive at Helen Keller Park on December 17, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The competition is run by Royal Observatory Greenwich sponsored by Insight Investment and in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine. This year astrophotographers from 91 countries sent in more than 4,200 spectacular entries. Here: The Milky Way rises above an isolated lighthouse in Tasmania. Shot by James Stone of Australia. (Photo by James Stone/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2018)

A girl rides on a train as she takes part in the first edition of the No Pants Subway Ride in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, January 11, 2015. The No Pants Subway Ride is an annual which was started in 2002 by Improv Everywhere in New York, the goal is for riders to get on the subway train dressed in normal winter clothes without pants and keep a straight face. (Photo by Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

A general view of Hong Kong's business district is seen Thursday, August 1, 2013. (Photo by Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

A Sikh devotee carries on over-sized religious sword during a religious procession to celebrate the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru or master, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism in Amritsar, India, 05 November 2014. The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji will be observed on 06 November. (Photo by Raminder Pal Singh/EPA)