Enter The 2025 European Astrofest Imaging Competition: How to Apply?

The European AstroFest Imaging Competition returns for its second year. As part of the UK’s premier astronomy event, this competition invites participants to capture the wonders of space in all their glory. Here’s everything you need to know to enter.

Astrofest Photography Competition Categories

The AstroFest Imaging Competition invites photographers of all ages to capture space objects in three categories: Deep Sky, Solar System, and Under 18.

Under 18

In this category, astrophotographers can capture any object in the night sky — whether it’s a planet, a deep-sky object, or anything else in between. The only requirement is to bring a unique perspective to the space.

Solar System

This category invites participants to capture the wonders within our Solar System, including images of the Sun, planets, the Moon, and comets.

Deep Sky

This category is about capturing the stunning objects beyond our Solar System: stars, nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies.

Who Can Enter The Competition?

The AstroFest Imaging Competition is open to all European residents. Entrants in the Under 18 category must have the support of a responsible adult, such as a parent, guardian, family member, or teacher, who will provide their contact details and confirm that the image is solely the work of the young entrant. Note that each participant is allowed only one entry per category.

Terms & Conditions

The AstroFest Imaging Competition runs from 1st September 2024 until the deadline of 11.59 pm GMT on 12th January 2025. To ensure the authenticity of each submission, all images must be captured personally by the entrant. Images taken remotely via robotic telescopes or other online means will not be accepted. Additionally, AI-generated images are not eligible and will be disqualified.

Winners Of The AstroFest Imaging Competition

The judges will select the top four images from each category for display at European AstroFest 2025. From these shortlisted images, the overall winners for each category will be chosen during the event. Their names and images will be featured on the official European AstroFest website, social media channels, and Astronomy Now magazine. 

Prizes For The Best Astrophotos

The AstroFest Imaging Competition offers prizes for the winners of each category, all featuring high-quality telescopes. In the Under 18 category, the winner will receive a telescope perfect for young stargazers. The Solar System category winner will receive a powerful telescope, ideal for observing planets, the Moon, and other objects within our solar system. For those capturing the wonders of deep space, the Deep Sky category winner will take home a top-tier telescope designed for exploring distant stars, galaxies, and nebulae.

How To Apply for The European AstroFest Imaging Competition?

Fill out the form on the competition’s official website to enter the competition. All entries must include the following details: the entrant’s name, age as of 12 January 2025, and for entrants under 18, their address and contact details (phone number and email). Additionally, entrants must provide the date(s) the image was taken (in UTC), the location where the image was captured, and information about the equipment used. Entrants must also include details such as the length and number of exposures (subs), ISO number (if applicable), and any processing information applied to the image.

European AstroFest 2025

European AstroFest is the UK’s leading event for astronomy enthusiasts. It will take place on 7th and 8th February 2025 at the Kensington Conference and Events Centre in London. The event offers 16 presentations from top astronomers and space scientists and three floors of exhibition space.