Capture the Dark: First Place – “The Watchers” by JJ Rao
The Capture the Dark 2025 Photo Contest, hosted by DarkSky International, showcased the awe-inspiring beauty of the night sky while raising awareness about the growing threat of light pollution.
With over 2,200 submissions from 22 countries, the contest highlighted the artistic and technical brilliance of photographers capturing galaxies, moonlit landscapes, and nocturnal wildlife. Each of the eight categories—from sweeping nightscapes to the impact of artificial light—offered a unique lens into the fragile world of natural darkness. These winning images serve not only as visual masterpieces but also as a powerful reminder of what we risk losing without conservation efforts. Ultimately, the contest invites us to reconnect with the night sky and embrace its wonder before it fades.
More: DarkSky, Instagram
Capture the Dark: Second Place – “Whispers of the Dancing Auroras” by Mónica Mesa
Capture the Dark: Third Place – “Land of Ice” by Kavan Chay
International Dark Sky Places: First Place – “Starlight Highway” by Tom Rae
International Dark Sky Places: Second Place – “Double Arch” by by Dan Zafra
International Dark Sky Places: Third Place – “Celestial Dance Over Lupine Fields” by by Lucy Yunxi
Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design: First Place – “Paris, Asleep In The Pre-Dawn Hours” by Gwenael Blanck
Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design: Second Place – “High Frontier” by Stephen Hummel
Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design: Third Place – “Celestial Equator Above the Vimy Trenches” by Louis Leroux-Gere
The Impact of Light Pollution: First Place – “Requiem for a Dream” by Ambre de l’AIPe
The Impact of Light Pollution: Second Place – “Traces of the Stars” by Xin Wang
The Impact of Light Pollution: Third Place – “Interstellar Dock” by Shi Pu
Creatures of the Night: First Place – “Scorpion and Scorpio” by Oscar Leonardo Chavez Torres
Creatures of the Night: Second Place – “The Perfect Ghost” by Will Hudson
Creatures of the Night: Third Place – “Buck Moon Owl” by Kevin O’Donnell
Deep Sky Observations: First Place – “Breathing Vela Supernova Remnant Mosaic” by Alpha Zhang
Deep Sky Observations: Second Place – “Furnace of Life” by Rod Prazeres
Deep Sky Observations: Third Place – “Under Dark Skies: The Horsehead Revealed” by Tiffany Effinger
Mobile Nighttime Photography: First Place – “A Gateway to the Universe” by Sadeq Hayati
Mobile Nighttime Photography: Second Place – “Milky Way Over Quiver Tree” by Jilanfeng Dai
Mobile Nighttime Photography: Third Place – “Salt Flats and Solar Winds in Death Valley” by Katrina Brown
Young Astrophotographers: First Place – “Gems of Jizerka” by Oldřich Špůrek
Young Astrophotographers: Second Place – “Aurora at 38°N” by Haohan Sun
Young Astrophotographers: Third Place – “A Dolphins Head” by Michael Telesco
People’s Choice Award: First Place – “Milky Way with Comet C/2023 A3” by Siddharth Patel
People’s Choice Award: Second Place – “Clash In Winter Sky: A Legend Tupi – Guaran” by Rodrigo Guerra
People’s Choice Award: Third Place – “Ancient Beauty” by Therese Iknoian