Evan McKay Wins 2026 Astrophotography Prize
The photographer earned the annual title for his work in the Astro Landscape category.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Space
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Evan McKay captured the top honor at the fourth annual Astrophotography Prize. The competition showcased nearly 500 entries submitted by photographers from 22 countries.
Why it matters
The annual competition serves as a significant platform for recognizing technical expertise and artistic vision in the growing field of night-sky photography. It highlights global efforts to document celestial phenomena through specialized imaging equipment and patience.
Evan McKay earned his victory with a 24-panel mosaic image of Cathedral Cove in New Zealand. The project required 15 hours of integration time, reflecting the intensive technical precision utilized by finalists.
The players
Evan McKay
He is the photographer recognized as the overall winner in the Astro Landscape category for the 2026 competition.
Marzena Rogozińska
She was named the winner of the Deep Space category during the 2026 competition.
Jason Perry
He achieved the top award in the Aurora category for his work captured during the 2026 event.
Alpha Zhang
He received the winning title in the Remote Imaging category for his contribution to the 2026 event.
The details
Judges evaluated submissions during a live public event, awarding category honors to Evan McKay, Marzena Rogozińska, Jason Perry, and Alpha Zhang. These winners demonstrated mastery in capturing deep space, aurora displays, and remote landscapes across varied locations including Namibia and Norway.
Timeline
The Astrophotography Prize competition took place in 2026.
The Big Picture
The Astrophotography Prize mirrors the efforts of the European Southern Observatory's Photo Ambassador program in professionalizing night-sky documentation. By creating competitive standards for image integration, the event pushes the technical boundaries of what amateur and professional imagers can achieve globally.
The winning techniques demonstrate how consumer-grade sensor technology and sophisticated software processing now allow for professional-grade results. Aspiring photographers can leverage these workflows to capture high-detail imagery of the Milky Way and deep-sky objects from their own locations.
The takeaway
Achieving high-quality night imagery often requires hours of integration time and complex panel-stitching workflows to handle the vast dynamic range of space. Aspiring astrophotographers should focus on planning their shots around stable atmospheric windows to maximize the clarity of their results.
Further reading
Discover more about recent astronomical achievements in the Space section.
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