ANNIE MAUNDER PRIZE FOR IMAGE INNOVATION

Dark River (Detail) 

Julie Hill (UK)

Data source: VISTA Survey Telescope, Paranal Observatory, Chile, Infrared J 1.25 μm, Infrared H 1.65 μm, Infrared 2.15 μm channels, ESO/VVV Survey/D. Minniti. Acknowledgement: Ignacio Toledo, Martin Kornmesser

About the category: “The Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation is a new category with a different focus – entrants don’t have to be experienced astrophotographers. Instead we asked them to use publicly available images from research telescopes and remix the data, encouraging them to innovate.

The images in the category are outstanding and the entrants rose to the challenge with innovative images from telescopes around the world. One image, ‘The Heart of the Crab’, gives a unique perspective of a supernova remnant, the Crab Nebula, by combining different kinds of light – visible, infrared and X-ray. It allows us a glimpse into this region of space, from the spinning pulsar at the nebula’s centre to the hot leftover dust and gas from the supernova explosion. The winner (right) was one of the most creative entries we had in this year's competition. Julie Hill printed images from Paranal Observatory in Chile to create a physical representation of the ‘river’ of our Milky Way. She created a sculpture that allows the viewer to experience our Galaxy in three dimensions.” – Emily Drabek-Maunder