“Ascent of Angels” by Brad Goldpaint

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

9 August 2015 Astronomy Now

Following his first up-close encounter with a black bear, the photographer was relieved to reach his destination safely and capture this phenomenal image. A meteor can be seen piercing through the darkness as the Milky Way towers above the 4,392-metre peak of Mount Rainier in Washington, USA. The white lights dotted across the rocky paths of the mountain’s face are the headlamps of hikers ascending to the peak. Image credit: © Brad Goldpaint / Royal Museums Greenwich. (Click image for full-size version.)
Following his first up-close encounter with a black bear, the photographer was relieved to reach his destination safely and capture this phenomenal image. A meteor can be seen piercing through the darkness as the Milky Way towers above the 4,392-metre peak of Mount Rainier in Washington, USA. The white lights dotted across the rocky paths of the mountain’s face are the headlamps of hikers ascending to the peak. Image credit: © Brad Goldpaint / Royal Museums Greenwich. (Click image for full-size version.)
The Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is an annual celebration of the most beautiful and spectacular visions of the cosmos by astrophotographers worldwide. In 2015 the competition launched for its seventh year, with new categories and more prizes up for grabs. With over 2700 spectacular entries from over 60 countries, it’s been the toughest year yet for the judges.

Over the coming weeks we will feature, in no particular order, each of the final 16 selected images and winners will be announced by Royal Museums Greenwich on 17 September. The winning images are to be showcased at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in an exhibition opening 18 September.

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Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015 overall winner: Luc Jamet

18 September 2015 Astronomy Now

“Eclipse Totality over Sassendalen” is the overall winning picture, making Luc Jamet of France the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015. The prestigious annual competition received 2700 spectacular entries from 59 countries this year. The winning images from the 11 categories are showcased at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in an exhibition open 18 September 2015 — 26 June 2016

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Researchers explain why the Greenwich prime meridian moved

13 August 2015 Astronomy Now

In 1884, a delegation of international representatives convened in Washington, D.C. to recommend that Earth’s prime meridian marking zero degrees longitude should pass through the Airy Transit Circle (ATC) at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. But according to the GPS receivers of surveyors and smartphones of London tourists today, why does the line of zero longitude run 102 metres east of the ATC?