Astrophoto Report
Previous events > ScopeX 2019
2019 Digital Astrophoto Competition
For the first time since 2002, the competition was run as a purely digital competition which allowed people from across the country to submit their photos. Previously entrants had to print their photos and present these at ScopeX.
41 submissions were received, the highest number of entries ever submitted to the competition, and it attracted interest across the country, even as far as Namibia.
The standard of submissions was uniformly exceptionally high across all 3 categories, with many submissions of stunning visual impact that grabbed the attention of passers-by.
The task of the 3 judges (Martin Heigan, Dr. Barbara Cunow, Chris Stewart) was made particularly difficult by variety of subject matter and techniques employed (e.g. wide-field nightscape vs. planetary close-up in the cellphone category) - as well need to recognise both visual appeal and technical difficulties in capturing the image.
The Photos Submitted for the competition are listed per category
The video created of the submissions reached just under 900 views in the first day following its posting and shows the images in the same sequence as listed in Photos Submitted.
Enjoy the video:
The categories and winners:
1) Advanced category entry AD-17: Stefanus Potgieter’s Keyhole Nebula
Prize: Celestron NexImage 5 Solar System Imager donated by G&L Agencies
2) Beginner Category entry BE-03: Tiaan Niemand’s Leo Triplets
Prize: Celestron Power Tank donated by ScopeX
3) Mobile Category entry CE-08: Grant Peterson’s Parade of the Planets
Prize: Celestron NexYZ Smartphone Adapter donated by G&L Agencies
Many thanks, Martin Heigan, for your professional organisation of the Competition.