As we step into the first week of May, for deep-sky lovers, galaxy season is in full swing! The best astrophotos of the week collection takes us on a stunning journey through space: from the fantastic starburst of the Cigar Galaxy (M82) and the spiralling beauty of Andromeda (M31), to the brilliant glow of the Medusa Nebula (Abell 21) and the interacting Eyes Galaxies in Markarian’s Chain. We also catch a glimpse of a young Moon over Montsec, a meteor flashing beneath the Milky Way in Australia, and breathtaking dark-sky landscapes that remind us why protecting the night matters.
Let’s dive into the most awe-inspiring images captured by astrophotographers around the world.
Space Is Watching You: The Eyes Galaxies
The first shot of our best astrophotos of the week collection features so-called Eyes Galaxies. In this stunning image, astrophotographer Loran Hughes captures a striking pair of galaxies located in Markarian’s Chain. NGC 4438 and NGC 4435 are nicknamed so because they appear as two bright, close-together spots with a shared, eerie glow. Almost like a pair of glowing eyes in space!
A Young Moon In Stunning Detail
This beautiful photo by Jaume Zapata shows a young Moon — the thin crescent that appears just a few days after the new Moon. An astrophotographer captured it from his remote observatory in the Montsec mountains of Àger, Spain.
The “young Moon” phase marks the Moon’s slow return to visibility as it moves in its orbit around Earth, often best seen just after sunset. Its low position on the horizon makes it a favourite subject for photography enthusiasts.
The Cigar Galaxy Among Best Astrophotos Of The Week
This stunning image by NocturnalLedge features M82, better known as the Cigar Galaxy for its shape This galaxy is in overdrive, forming stars at a rate 10 times higher than the Milky Way due to a past gravitational encounter with its neighbour, M81. Bonus fact: it hosted a bright supernova in 2014 (SN 2014j), discovered right from a university observatory in London — a real-life classroom discovery!
Milky Way And A Cosmic Surprise
Merrillie Redden Photography captured this breathtaking shot of the Milky Way in Blayney, New South Wales, Australia. While many focused on election updates, Merrillie turned her lens to the sky and got a stunning reward, a surprise meteor streaking through the shot. Can you spot its faint trail in the bottom right corner of the frame?
“Life In Colour”
Angel Fux captures a soul-stirring view of the Milky Way stretching over mountains and a still lake in this stunning nightscape. The stars are framed by deep darkness and untouched by light pollution, and the sky is rich with texture, colour, and cosmic wonder. This photo beautifully echoes the photographer’s message: that darkness isn’t emptiness, but a gateway to seeing the universe in its purest form.
Andromeda Galaxy — Our Closest Galactic Neighbour
Daniele Cali’s incredible image shows the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), our closest galactic neighbour, captured in rich detail. You can clearly see its bright core, dusty spiral arms, and star-filled outskirts stretching across space. With billions of stars visible here, it’s no wonder this photo feels like a snapshot of a million suns lighting up the night!
Medusa Nebula
This delicate and ghostly cloud in Gemini is the Medusa Nebula, getting its name after the snake-haired monster from Greek mythology. In this photo by Blahó Norbert, you can see why: its faint, threadlike tendrils resemble twisting serpents in space.
Thank you to all the photographers who shared their amazing images for our best astrophotos of the week collection! We greatly appreciate your dedication and passion for astrophotography and wish you clear skies for your future captures!
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