Two Offaly astro-photographers among shortlist for next stage of astrophotography competition

Two Offaly astro-photographers have been selected for the next stage of the prestigious ‘Reach for the Stars’ astrophotography competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS). The competition aims to find the best astro-photographs taken in Ireland over the past year.

The shortlisted photographers are Clódagh Egan from Loughill, Ballinahown and Seanie Morris from Blueball.

Clódagh has been shortlisted in the ‘Night Sky in Your Hand’ category for her image ‘Goodnight, Rainbow.’ This image depicts a very special night in Ireland where the Aurora Borealis danced across the country’s night sky in what very much felt like a once in a lifetime experience. The image was captured on an iPhone 14 using ten second long exposure and a night lens.

Seanie has been shortlisted in the ‘Night Sky in Your Hand’ category for his image ‘Sam and Lucy’s First Big Aurora.’ It was taken with a OnePlus 9 Pro camera on May 10.

While a high-profile judging panel will select the overall winning entries in the coming weeks, an online vote was launched today (Thursday) so members of the public can also have their say.

All shortlisted images can now be viewed on the ‘Reach for the Stars’ website, www.reachforthestars.ie, and members of the public can cast their vote for their favourite image.

Commenting today, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, Dr Eucharia Meehan, said: “The online public vote to select the winner of the Public Choice Award is a chance for the public to have their say in this year’s top astro-photographs. The online exhibition is a great opportunity for people to learn about our solar system, the galaxies around us and what lies in the night sky. It will be a difficult task to choose a favourite from the shortlisted entries!

“I’m so impressed by the level of creativity and skill we have amongst photographers in Offaly and right across the country. This year has seen the highest number of entries in the history of the competition, and we hope to see the interest in our night skies continue to grow.”

Professor Peter Gallagher of DIAS added: “I’m delighted to return for a fourth year of judging for the ‘Reach for the Stars’ competition. Photographers have shown great creativity and technical skill capturing everything, from stars and galaxies that are millions of light years away to stunning scenery back on earth.

“We hope the people of Offaly will get involved again this year and have their say by voting for their favourite image.”

Over 230 images were submitted to the competition in total this year, the most ever received, with 50 selected for the shortlist and public vote. Entrants were invited to submit entries across five distinct categories in the competition:

1. Night Sky in Your Hand: Images taken with only a smartphone, and without telescopes, of an astronomical scene.

2. Out of this World – Planetary: Images of the planets, sun and moon.

3. Out of this World – Deep Sky: Images of celestial objects that exist outside our solar system such as nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies.

4. Back on Earth – Landscape: Images that depict a feature of astronomical interest as a prominent feature and elements such as nature, land or water.

5. Back on Earth – Landmark: Images that depict a feature of astronomical interest as a prominent feature and elements such as cityscapes, buildings, houses, historical structures or monuments.

The winning images selected by the judging panel and the public vote will be announced in July, and an outdoor exhibition will be staged by DIAS to showcase the best images.

Alongside the winner of the Public Choice Award, the overall winners will be chosen by the judging panel for ‘Reach for the Stars’, which includes: Head of Astrophysics at DIAS; Professor Peter Gallagher, Picture Editor of The Irish Times; Brenda Fitzsimons, ,President of the Irish Astronomical Society; Michael McCreary and Director, Alice Public Relations; Niamh Breathnach.

Votes for the Public Choice Award are restricted to one vote per person, and voting will close at midday on Friday, July 5.

DIAS’s ‘Reach for the Stars’ competition is being run in partnership with The Irish Times, and is sponsored by Alice Public Relations and the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland. The Irish Astronomical Society are initiative supporters.

Further information can be found at https://reachforthestars.ie.