Looking at the photos taken by Aaron Groenom, very easy to get lost in this starry wonderland. A series of photos Dark Places - a collection of works in which the artist from South Dakota contrasts the beauty of the universe to various natural or man-made forms on Earth. Using long exposures, it captures the magical landscape filled with fabulous atmosphere, striking color palettes and far-distant galaxies.

Shortlisted images in the running to be crowned Photobox Instagram photograph of the year range from furry friends to the Holi festival to the meaning of love. Judges, including the Guardian’s former picture editor Eamonn McCabe, have whittled down 180,000 submissions to unearth a shortlist that celebrates the best of social media. Winners will be announced October 3, 2018. Here: Najac, France. Travel shortlist. (Photo by Aaron Jenkin/@aaronjenkin)

A Filipino pet owner carries her dog as she prays before the animal blessing rites at the Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church in Malate district, Manila, Philippines on Sunday, October 5, 2014. Several Filipinos brought their pets to be blessed during the annual event which is also done to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

Takamoto Katsuta of Japan and Aaron Johnston of Ireland with their Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 #18 during the Shakedown of the FIA World Rally Championship Kenya on June 21, 2023 in Naivasha, Kenya. (Photo by Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images)

A meat vendor counts money at a public market in Marikina, Philippines on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

“Catch of the Decade”. Can you guess what happened next? Photo location: Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. (Photo and caption by Aaron Baggenstos/National Geographic Photo Contest)

José Pereira de Souza plays an accordion as actress and model Tatiana Melo gives a television interview in Feira Nordestina outside of the Olympic periphery on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. (Photo by Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Team China performs during the team free routine artistic swimming competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, October 8, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)