Astronomy Photographer of the Year judges explain how to get involved in astrophotography

This spectacular six-panel mosaic picture of a solar prominence was taken in Italy by astrophotographer Paolo  Porcellana on 27 March 2015 using a home-made 150mm f/15 refractor — winning image of the Our Sun category in the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition 2015.

The Perseid meteor shower shoots across the sky in the early hours of 13 August 2015, appearing to cascade from Mount Shasta in California, USA. The composite image features roughly 65 meteors.

The prestigious Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition is an annual celebration of the most beautiful and spectacular visions of the cosmos by astrophotographers worldwide. Now in its seventh year, the 2015 competition received 2700 spectacular entries from over 60 countries and the winners will be announced 17 September.