New East photographers shortlisted for Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Two New East photographers have been shortlisted for this year’s Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year, the world’s biggest international astrophotography competition.

Russian photographer Yulia Zhulikova‘s Auroral Crown captures the aurora borealis above pink-hued snowy trees in Russia’s Murmansk region, the street lamps lending the trees an ethereal glow.

Latvia-born Denmark-based photographer Ruslan Merzlyakov‘s The Road Back Home depicts noctilucent clouds — the highest to form in the Earth’s atmosphere — above Sweden. The clouds, which form at an altitude of above 61 km, are thought to be made of ica crystals, and only become visible when the Sun moves below the horizon at dusk.

The winners will be announced on 14 September, and an exhibition of the winning images will be displayed in a free exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Centre (London) from 16 September.

See the full shortlist here.