{"id":14878,"date":"2025-08-21T22:51:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T22:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/14878\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T22:51:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T22:51:11","slug":"exceptional-winners-of-the-2025-capture-the-dark-photo-contest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/14878\/","title":{"rendered":"Exceptional Winners of the 2025 Capture the Dark Photo Contest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Red<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Watchers\u201d by JJ Rao. First place, Capture the Dark
Location: Derby, Australia
\u201cRare red sprites dancing over the tidal flats of Western Australia. A large sprite like this exists for 10 milliseconds, up to 40x faster than an eye blink. This makes photographing them challenging and requires very dark skies. The central sprite is unusual. It\u2019s known as a \u2018jellyfish\u2019 sprite, the largest and fastest of all sprites.\u201d<\/p>\n

Light pollution is a real problem, one that is growing at a rate of 10% a year according to non-profit DarkSky International<\/a>. Not only do these lights block our view of the night sky, but they also disturb wildlife and have a negative effect on wellness. That\u2019s where the winners of the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest come in. By showing how beautiful the sky can be when the lights go out, DarkSky hopes to raise awareness about the negative impact of light pollution.<\/p>\n

Now in its fifth year, the contest saw 2,284 submissions from more than 22 countries, focusing on everything from the Milky Way and comets to glowing wildlife and crescent moons. Judged by an expert panel, photographers were evaluated on their composition, technical skill, and adherence to DarkSky\u2019s Principles for Responsible Astrophotography<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCapture the Dark has become a key initiative in raising awareness, using the power of photography to illustrate not only the wonders of the night but also the impacts of light pollution through a series of contest categories,\u201d said the organization in a statement. \u201cThe result is more than a gallery of stunning images\u2014it\u2019s a call to action to protect the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Highlights include JJ\u00a0<\/a>Rao\u2019<\/a>s photo of rare red sprites in Western Australia, which won the Capture the Dark category. This phenomenon is technically challenging because it lasts for just a few milliseconds and requires total darkness. In the Creatures of the Night category, Oscar Leonardo Chavez Torres<\/a> wowed the judges with his look at a scorpion in Mexico as it hunted in the desert.<\/p>\n

In addition to the awarded categories, the public was able to vote on a People\u2019s Choice Award, which a 12-year-old space enthusiast and aspiring astronaut won. Siddharth Patel<\/a> used his mom\u2019s phone to take the winning photo, which shows a comet streaking through the sky in Ontario, Canada.<\/p>\n

Scroll down to see even more winners from the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest and head over to the DarkSky website for the complete winners\u2019 gallery<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

Here are the winners of the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest.
\n\"Northern<\/p>\n

\u201cA Gateway to the Universe\u201d by Sadeq Hayati. First place, Mobile Nighttime Photography
Location: Raufarh\u00f6fn, Iceland
\u201cOn my last trip to Iceland, we followed the northern lights. There was a huge storm of aurora and I decided to record it with my phone for the first time! It was interesting that, with a small device in my hand, I could see the beauty happening in the sky in more detail and beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Scorpions<\/p>\n

\u201cScorpion and Scorpio\u201d by Oscar Leonardo Chavez Torres. First place, Creatures of the Night
Location: Hermosillo, Sonora, M\u00e9xico
\u201cScorpions use the darkness to hunt in the desert, these organisms thrive in the dark nights of the desert, and even the moon can be enough light to drop their activity.\u201c<\/p>\n

\"Milky<\/p>\n

\u201cMilky Way with Comet C\/2023 A3\u201d by Siddharth Patel. Winner, People\u2019s Choice
Location: Fingal, Ontario, Canada
\u201cI took this photo using my mother\u2019s Samsung S21. I had to leave the city because I couldn\u2019t see the comet at all, so I convinced my family to drive out with me. Under the darker Fingal sky, the comet and the Milky Way were both visible to the naked eye, and seeing them together blew my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Starlight<\/p>\n

\u201cStarlight Highway\u201d by Tom Rae. First place, International Dark Sky Places
Location: Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Canterbury, New Zealand
\u201cThe Starlight Highway sign is definitely one of the cooler signs to find on the road, and there is a good reason for it, as you can see! The sign marks the entrance to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve\u2014one of the most significant dark sky reserves on earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The competition is run by DarkSky International, a non-profit focused on protecting the night sky.
\n\"Moon<\/p>\n

\u201cParis, Asleep In The Pre-Dawn Hours\u201d by Gwenael Blanck. First place, Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design
Location: Paris, \u00cele-de-France, France
\u201cParis is known as the \u201cCity of Lights,\u201d but after midnight, many iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur are turned off to save energy and reduce light pollution. I took advantage of the darker, less light-polluted sky to capture the Pleiades above the city, from a beautiful viewpoint in S\u00e8vres, just 8 km from the Eiffel Tower.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Vela<\/p>\n

\u201cBreathing Vela Supernova Remnant Mosaic\u201d by Alpha Zhang. First place, Deep Sky Observations
\u201cThis is the most breathtaking nebula I\u2019ve ever captured. The Vela Supernova Remnant is a target that no astrophotographer<\/a> should miss in a lifetime. A four-panel mosaic covers the primary emission signals of the nebula. The OIII outer shell wraps around the ionized Ha and SII, forming a complex, layered structure that is beyond words.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"2025<\/p>\n

\u201cRequiem for a Dream\u201d by Ambre de l\u2019AIPe. First place, The Impact of Light Pollution
\u201cJanuary, a few years ago, in the northern Alps, France. The tent is pitched in the snow, and a sea of clouds filters the light from the town of Chamonix. An incredible atmosphere\u2026 and it\u2019s even more incredible to realize that the town, despite the clouds obscuring the light, shines right up to the summit of Mont-Blanc (on the far right of the photo)!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Double<\/p>\n

\u201cDouble Arch\u201d by Dan Zafra. Second place, International Dark Sky Places
Location: Death Valley International Dark Sky Park, California, United States<\/p>\n

\"Aurora<\/p>\n

\u201cAurora at 38\u00b0N\u201d by Haohan Sun. Second place, Young Astrophotographers
Location: Dalian, China<\/p>\n

Specifically, they raise awareness about the issue of light pollution and how it affects our ability to see the stars.
\n\"Glowing<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Perfect Ghost\u201d by Will Hudson. Second place, Creatures of the Night.
Location: Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia<\/p>\n

\"Milky<\/p>\n

\u201cClash In Winter Sky: A Legend Tupi \u2013 Guaran\u201d by Rodrigo Guerra. Second place, People\u2019s Choice
Location: Igua\u00e7u National Park, Brazil<\/p>\n

\"Fireflies<\/p>\n

\u201cTumacacor\u2019s Secret\u201d by Celeste Boudreaux. First place, Visit Tucson
Location: Tumacacori, Arizona, United States
\u201cEvery summer, Tumacacori hosts a small visitor that most don\u2019t even know exists in Arizona: the southwest synchronous firefly! And every year, they welcome visitors to photograph them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jizerka,<\/p>\n

\u201cGems of Jizerka\u201d by Old\u0159ich \u0160p\u016frek. First place, Young Astrophotographers
Location: Jizerka, Libereck\u00fd kraj, Czech Republic
\u201cIn May, I visited Jizerka, which is located in a dark Bortle 4 zone (and sometimes even reaching Bortle 3). This valley transforms completely after sunset. A few scattered huts, fleeting fog, and a lively yet peaceful atmosphere under the stars made this night unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kids<\/p>\n

\u201cKids and Comets\u201d by Carly Stocks. First place, Visit Utah
Location: Tooele County, Utah, United States
\u201cChasing Comet C\/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) with these two is one of my favorite memories of 2024. While it makes photography tricky, I love sharing moments under the stars with my children. They patiently waited for me to capture this comet for three consecutive nights. They asked questions, watched the comet through binoculars, and even posed for pictures.\u201d<\/p>\n

DarkSky: Website<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/strong>
\nMy Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by DarkSky.
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