A man holds a gun under his chin as he speaks with members of the NYPD outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, U.S., December 2, 2021. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

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)

Members of Afghan ninja team “Kabura Vahdet” practices Asian martial arts in Tehran, Iran on June 17, 2022. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Mohammad Ramzan, 60, a traditional goatskin water carrier also known as a mashki, fills a bag with water from a handpump to deliver to nearby homes during the fasting month of Ramadan, as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi, Pakistan on April 23, 2021. (Photo by Akhtar Soomro/Reuters)

Vendors selling bread wait for customers at a roadside hotel in Quetta on March 25, 2024. (Photo by Banaras Khan/AFP Photo)

Families visit Clifton beach to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holidays, marking the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Pakistan, Sunday, April 23, 2023. (Photo by Fareed Khan/AP Photo)

Commuters by with the buildings of the banking district in background in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, February 6, 2020. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

Mount Sinabung looks calm as seen from Karo, North Sumatra at dawn on August 8, 2021. (Photo by Tibta Nangin/AFP Photo)