Astronomy Photographer of the Year

A selection of entries from this year's competition, held at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

Overall winner of the astronomy photographer of the year award, and winner of the earth and space prize

  

Photograph: Tom Lowe/National Maritime Museum

 Blazing Bristlecone, Tom Lowe, White Mountains, California, 14 August 2009. An ancient bristlecone pine stands before the Milky Way as a meteor streaks the sky. The lighting effect on the tree in the foreground was actually caused by accident when the photographer was setting his equipment up.

  People and space award winner

Photograph: Steve Christenson/National Maritime Museum

  

  Photon Worshippers, Steve Christenson, 23 December 2009. For a few weeks every year the setting sun is in the correct position to shine directly through this portal in a large rock formation at Pfeiffer beach in Big Sur, California.

Winner of the Our Solar System award

Photograph: Anthony Ayiomamitis /National Maritime Museum

 Siberian Totality, Anthony Ayiomamitis (Greece). Taken during a total eclipse of the sun, this image reveals the faint solar corona usually hidden by the photosphere. The long streamers and prominences show the sun's activity beyond the surface, reaching out into the solar system.

 Winner of the deep space prize

 Photograph: Rogelio Bernal Andreo /National Maritime Museum

 Orion Deep Wide Field, Rogelio Bernal Andreo California, US, 10 June 2010. A panorama of a section of the constellation of Orion, including the three famous stars of the belt, the Horsehead nebula and the Orion nebula.

Primal Wonder.

Photograph: Larry Andreasen/National Maritime Museum

  

The Sword and the Rose (Orion's Sword and M42)

Photograph: Marcus Davies/National Maritime Museum

  

Winner of best newcomer 

 Photograph: Ken Mackintosh/National Maritime Museum

 The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), Ken Mackintosh (UK). Drawn together by gravity, two galaxies interact. Eventually the smaller galaxy will be torn apart or swallowed by the larger one - a process that will take millions of years.

Surrounded by Space

Photograph: Fredrik Broms/National Maritime Musuem

 Whisper of the Wind

Photograph: Dave Brosha/National Maritime Museum

 

Solstice Full Moon Over Sounion

Photograph: Anthony Ayiomamitis/National Maritime Museum

  

Winner, young astronomy photographer 2010

Photograph: Dhruv Arvind Paranjpye/National Maritime Museum

 A Perfect Circle, Dhruv Arvind Paranjpye (India, aged 14). A solar eclipse photographed in India in 2009. The light around the edge of the circle is the sun's atmosphere, or corona, only visible during an eclipse. The photographer has used the dark clouds to act as a filter.