ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 Shines With Mesmerizing Andromeda Galaxy Portrait

The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 has just been revealed, and it’s a jaw-dropping view of one of our cosmic neighbors. Titled The Andromeda Core, the winning image from Royal Observatory Greenwich’s contest captures an intricate, rarely seen look into the heart of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31).

Created by a trio of talented astrophotographers — Weitang Liang, Qi Yang, and Chuhong Yu — the photo shows an extraordinary level of clarity and detail. Captured from the AstroCamp Observatory in Nerpio, Spain, using a long focal-length telescope, it focuses on the galaxy’s luminous core and its swirling stellar halo.

[Related Reading: ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 Shortlists Reveal the Night Sky Wonders]

A Bold and Unconventional Composition

Judge László Francsics, astrophotographer, said:

“Not to show it all − this is one of the greatest virtues of this photo. The Andromeda Galaxy has been photographed in so many different ways and so many times with telescopes that it is hard to imagine a new photo would ever add to what we’ve already seen. But this does just that, an unusual dynamic composition with unprecedented detail that doesn’t obscure the overall scene.”

Weitang Liang, Qi Yang and Chuhong Yu said:

“We are excited to be awarded and never expected to be the Overall Winner. Thanks to ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year, we have the opportunity to bring our work and the splendour of the universe to everybody.”

The trio also won in the galaxies category.

Young Talent of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025

The ZWO Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year award went to Daniele Borsari for Orion, the Horsehead and the Flame in H-Alpha. Greg Brown, judge and Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer, commented:

Choosing black and white over bright colours and focusing purely on the shapes and contours of the nebulae is a bold decision that has paid off.

More Highlights from the Cosmos

In a unique addition, NASA astronaut Don Pettit contributed Earth From Orbit, taken during ISS Expedition 72. It’s one of several star field time exposures made using a homemade sidereal star tracker aboard the International Space Station.

Meanwhile, Leonardo Di Maggio took the Annie Maunder Open Category with Fourth Dimension, blending data from the James Webb Space Telescope with a photograph of a meteorite interior.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 Exhibition

This year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition opens on September 12, 2025 at the National Maritime Museum in London. It invites you to explore the universe through the eyes of the world’s best astrophotographers. From the glowing clouds of nebulae to rare comet sightings and ethereal planetary scenes, this year’s selection offers a dazzling mix of scientific precision and artistic expression.

Category Winners

In addition to the overall and young winners, as always, the contest also shares stunning category winners. I leave you to enjoy these below, and make sure to visit the Royal Museum Greenwich-s website for more information.

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