The David Malin Awards illuminate a core idea in astrophotography: the best images do more than document celestial detail; they tell stories that connect the Earth beneath our feet with the vast cosmos above. Hosted at the Parkes Observatory Visitors Centre and run by the Central West Astronomical Society, the international competition honors the late David Malin’s belief that science and artistry can coexist to reveal the wonder of the night sky. This year’s judging panel included renowned astrophotographers like Alex Cherney, who reminded viewers that the most compelling images convey a sense of awe as well as technical mastery.
The ethos behind the David Malin Awards
As Cherney notes, technical perfection alone does not guarantee resonance. The strongest astrophotographs invite education and inspiration, turning distant light into a story we can feel. The awards showcase multiple pathways for storytelling, each highlighting a different technique or aspect of the sky—from landscapes where the Milky Way meets the horizon to deep-sky sketches that reveal hidden structure in nebulas and clouds of gas.
Category highlights
Six categories frame the competition, offering varied routes into storytelling through astronomy and photography.
Nightscapes
This flagship category blends terrestrial landscapes with a skyscape, inviting images that juxtapose Earth’s features with the cosmic drama above. Often produced as a single exposure or a panoramic blend, Nightscapes emphasize how the cosmos can shape a place and a moment alike. One highly commended entry paired a terrestrial mangrove lake with a storm-bringing sky, suggesting a comet’s glow or lightning, whichever your eye prefers to notice first.
Junior
Open to those under 18, the Junior category makes space accessible to budding storytellers. Judges value images that evoke emotion or shift perspective, turning complex astronomical sights into relatable experiences. The winning shot of the Eagle Nebula demonstrates how younger photographers can translate cosmic scale into intimate, transformative imagery.
Widefield
Widefield photographs capture broad swaths of sky, where aesthetic composition guides the storytelling. These images foreground the idea that a region of space—rather than a single star or planet—can reveal the Universe’s larger patterns. A notable entry depicted the Crux of a supernova remnant, highlighting how even a segment of space carries a narrative of birth, explosion and time.
Solar System
Restricted to objects within our own Solar System, this category tests the balance between sharp detail and creative interpretation. The emphasis is on clean processing that preserves subject integrity while allowing an impression of dynamism—such as Saturn’s changing appearance across the year, with its rings appearing or fading as the planet orbits the Sun.
Deep Sky
Deep Sky invites photographers to hold a telescope or similar instrument in tandem with a camera, capturing celestial objects that lie far beyond the Solar System. Entrants cannot rely on professional observatories for the shot, which makes each winning image—like a molecular cloud shaped by stellar births and deaths—feel freshly seen from a ground-based perspective. These photographs aim to rekindle the wonder that sparked many astronomers’ journeys into space.
People and Sky
The year’s theme encouraged photographers to place people in dialogue with the night. With simple gear and careful timing, entrants captured moments where humans interact with the cosmos—like a group of holidaymakers framing the Moon, the night, and their own shared curiosity in a single frame. The goal remains constant: show how our relationship with the cosmos evolves when we engage with it directly.
Why these awards matter
The David Malin Awards are more than a prize list. They are a storytelling platform that invites the public to look up, learn, and feel connected to the night sky. By validating both artistry and scientific integrity, the competition supports outreach and education—encouraging aspiring photographers to explore celestial subjects with honesty and imagination. The judges emphasize that the most compelling images reveal something new about the universe while reminding us of our own place within it.
About the organizers and judges
Sponsored by CSIRO and curated by the Central West Astronomical Society, the awards bring together leading voices in astrophotography. This year’s panel included seasoned practitioners who value both technical skill and storytelling power, helping to ensure that each winning image resonates with a broad audience and invites conversation about the cosmos.
