Paint-splattered revellers take a break at the Notting Hill carnival in West London in the last decade of August 2022. (Photo by Andy Hall/The Observer)

Members of Imperio Serrano samba school get ready prior to their entrance during 2023 Carnival parades at Marquês de Sapucaí Sambodrome on February 19, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

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.

The full moon rises behind the cooling towers of the nuclear power station in Philippsburg, Germany, 06 May 2020. The nuclear power plant in Philippsburg was completely shut down by 31 December 2019. According to the operator EnBW, the two cooling towers are expected to be demolished by blasting on 14-15 May 2020. (Photo by Ronald Wittek/EPA/EFE)

The silhouette of a woman is reflected in a puddle as she crosses a square in front of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg on March, 17, 2019. (Photo by Olga Maltseva/AFP Photo)

Vinaya Vijay, right, and Vijay Parthasarathy wade through water at Badwater Basin, Thursday, February 22, 2024, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. The basin, normally a salt flat, has filled from rain over the past few months. (Photo by John Locher/AP Photo)

“Winter shapes, Moscow river”. Moscow river at this part is never covered by ice. When the temperature is very low it's possible to see a strong fog. Morning light and pipes of the oli factory creates a fantastic landscape. Photo location: Moscow, Russia. (Photo and caption by Sergey Rumyantsev/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Himalayan Dog”. This dog just appeared out of nowhere and followed us for an entire week during our trekking trip in the Himalayan outback. He always used to sleep in front of our tent and guarded us in the nights. When I decided to get up at 4 a.m. to climb the next 5000 m peak for sunrise he accompanied me as well. On the top he was sitting for the entire 30 minutes on this place looking straight into the countryside. Photo location: Ladakh, India. (Photo and caption by Sebastian Wahlhuetter/National Geographic Photo Contest)