Winners of South Downs National Park’s astrophotography contest

An awe-inspiring starry night on the South Downs and a ‘towering super moon’ are among the winners of this year’s Dark Skies astrophotography competition organised by the South Downs National Park.

More than 100 entries were received for the national park’s popular cosmic photography contest and a judging panel has now chosen the winners across three categories.

The South Downs National Park is one of 19 International Dark Sky Reserves, recognising it as one of the best, and most accessible, places in the world to see immense views of the cosmos.

Judging the contest were Dan Oakley, ‘Dark Skies’ ranger for the national park, Graham Bryant, a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and Petersfield-based Tiffany FrancisBaker, author of Dark Skies.

Taking the top spot in the South Downs Dark Skyscapes category was Snow In Springtime (pictured below) by Neil Jones. The photograph shows the Milky Way in all its glory, arching above the beautiful St Mary’s Church, near Upwaltham, in West Sussex. Runner-up was Valley of Stars, taken by Michael Harris, which shows a stunning nighttime view of Devil’s Dyke, near Brighton.

The final category had to capture the magnificence of the moon, or the Milky Way, and it was shots of our closest celestial neighbour that captured the imaginations of the judges.

The winner was Towering Super Moon (pictured above) by Richard Murray, which shows the moon rising behind the Vandalian Tower near South Harting, West Sussex.

The winners will pick up a prize of £100, while the runners-up will get £75.

The People’s Choice vote for the astrophotography competition will launch on 1 March and the public will have two weeks to vote for their favourite night-time shot out of a choice of shortlisted images, with a prize of £50 going to the winner. See www.southdowns.gov.uk