“M33 Core” by Michael van Doorn

Galaxies category winner: Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015

25 September 2015 Astronomy Now

This glorious image of the core of Local Group galaxy Messier 33 was captured from Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands by astrophotographer Michael van Doorn using a Celestron C11, ASA Reducer telescope lens, SXVR-H18 camera, 2156mm f/7.7 lens. Image credit: © Michael van Doorn.
This richly detailed image of the core of Local Group galaxy Messier 33 (NGC 598) in the constellation Triangulum was captured from Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands by astrophotographer Michael van Doorn using a Celestron C11, ASA Reducer telescope lens, SXVR-H18 camera, 2156mm f/7.7 lens. Image credit: © Michael van Doorn.
In the words of the astrophotographer: “We have excellent seeing conditions here in the Netherlands for just a few days every year. This time I used these days for shooting high-resolution luminance of our magnificent neighbouring galaxy. I shot the colour and H-alpha [Hydrogen-alpha] data with a super-fast f/2.0 telescope. Combined together, the data gave me a chance to create this picture of the inside structures of M33, the Triangulum Galaxy. The image is special for me because it can only be made once in a few years from my location.”

This year’s Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition received a record 2700 entries by astrophotographers from 59 countries around the world. These astonishing pictures reveal fresh perspectives on astrophotography favourites alongside some of the great astronomical events of the last year.

We will showcase the winning images from all 11 categories over the next few days, but if you wish to see them all together on display, the Royal Observatory Greenwich has an exhibition open 18 September 2015 — 26 June 2016. Hours: 10.00–17.00, entry is free.

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