Unveiling the Cosmos: The Equipment that Powered 986 Winning Astronomy Photos of the Year
In the world of astrophotography, the recent 2025 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, organised by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and sponsored by ZWO, has revealed some intriguing insights into the equipment favoured by both amateur and professional astrophotographers.
The competition, boasting over 5,500 images from 69 countries, showcases a variety of celestial phenomena, from the Milky Way to solar eclipses, auroras, comets, solar prominences, and nebulae.
While the specific brand and model lineup for the 2025 competition remain undisclosed, historical data from previous years provides a glimpse into the preferred equipment of astrophotographers in prestigious contests.
Cameras:
The competition attracts a diverse range of cameras, from dedicated astronomy CCD or CMOS cameras from manufacturers like ZWO (ASI series), QHYCCD, or Atik, to high-end mirrorless or DSLR cameras from Canon, Nikon, and Sony (with full-frame sensors preferred for sensitivity and resolution). Specialized cooled cameras are also used to reduce sensor noise during long exposures.
Lenses:
Wide-aperture prime lenses, such as 14mm, 24mm, and 35mm f/1.4-f/2.8, are popular for Milky Way and nightscape shots, while telephoto lenses and short telescopes like apochromatic refractors are used for detailed views of the Moon, planets, or comets.
Telescopes:
High-quality apochromatic refractors, like those from brands such as Takahashi, William Optics, or Sky-Watcher, are favoured for their clarity and sharpness. Reflectors or catadioptric telescopes are also used for deep-sky imaging, while solar telescopes or narrowband filters are employed for solar prominences and eclipses.
Mounts:
Precision equatorial mounts, such as the Sky-Watcher EQ6, iOptron CEM series, or Astro-Physics mounts, are essential for accurate tracking of stars during long exposures and precise stacking.
Given ZWO's role as the headline sponsor and their reputation for camera equipment and mounts, it is likely that many top astrophotographers use ZWO cameras, such as the ASI1600 or ASI6200, paired with reliable mounts and high-quality optics. However, detailed gear lists per winner/shortlist image are typically found in individual interviews or photographers’ own disclosures rather than the brief official shortlists.
In the realm of planetary imaging, ZWO is the most successful manufacturer, with the ZWO ASI174MM being the top model. German Equatorial mounts are the most commonly used mount types, but Harmonic, Direct Drive, and iOptron Center-Balanced Equatorial have gained popularity in recent years.
For deep sky imaging, the FLI PL16803, ZWO ASI6200MM Pro, QHY 600, ZWO ASI294MM Pro, and ZWO ASI2600MC Pro are among the top camera models. The Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4, Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED, and William Optics RedCat 51 are among the most successful deep sky telescope models in the last two years.
In summary, although explicit top equipment lists from the 2025 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition are not publicly detailed, the leading gear almost certainly includes ZWO astronomy cameras, high-resolution digital cameras suitable for night sky work, wide-aperture lenses or apochromatic telescopes, and precision equatorial mounts for tracking.
- Intriguing insights were revealed in the 2025 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition regarding the equipment used by both amateur and professional astrophotographers.
- The competition received over 5,500 images from 69 countries, showcasing a variety of celestial phenomena.
- Cameras ranging from dedicated astronomy CCD or CMOS cameras to high-end mirrorless or DSLR cameras are popular in the competition.
- Diverse lenses, such as wide-aperture prime lenses and telephoto lenses, are utilized for different types of astrophotography.
- High-quality apochromatic refractor telescopes are favored for their clarity and sharpness, while reflectors or catadioptric telescopes are used for deep-sky imaging.
- Precision equatorial mounts are essential for tracking stars during long exposures and precise stacking.
- In the realm of planetary imaging, ZWO is the most successful manufacturer, with the ZWO ASI174MM being the top model.
- For deep sky imaging, the FLI PL16803, ZWO ASI6200MM Pro, QHY 600, ZWO ASI294MM Pro, and ZWO ASI2600MC Pro are among the top camera models, while the Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4, Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED, and William Optics RedCat 51 are popular deep sky telescope models.
