AMAZING images of night sky - all the winnersAMAZING images of night sky - all the winners
AMAZING images of night sky - all the winners

11 breathtaking pictures of the South Downs National Park as competition winners are revealed

A shimmering purple heathland beneath the Milky Way, a seaside full of stars and the moon rising over a “haunted” tower are among the winners of this year’s South Downs National Park astrophotography competition.

Almost 100 entries were submitted to this year’s competition, which celebrates the National Park’s status as one of only 21 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world and one of the most accessible places in the UK to go stargazing.

Taking the top spot in the “Magnificent Moon” category was an eerie image of a harvest moon rising over Racton Ruins which was taken by Emsworth’s Nathan Hill. A harvest moon refers to the nearest full moon to the autumnal equinox and its incredible light enables farmers to work late into the night, helping them to bring in the crops from the fields. Judges were bowled over by the composition of the photograph, which is a folly dating back to the 1760s and reputedly haunted by the ghostly figure of a woman.

Judge Dan said: “This is an extraordinary image and so well-framed. It captures movement which is very difficult to do in astrophotography. It almost looks like a canon ball being fired!” Runner-up in the moon category was a stunning picture of the full moon behind Beachy Head lighthouse, near Eastbourne.

Taking the top spot in the “South Downs Starry Skyscapes” category was a spellbinding night-time image of Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters, in East Sussex captured by Giles Embleton-Smith. Runner-up in the skyscapes category was a stunning image of Cissbury Ring – the largest hill fort in Sussex and dating back more than 5,000 years taken by Carl Gough It was a double victory for Carl, who came top in the “Nature at Night” category with his beautiful picture of heathland surrounding Burton and Chingford ponds, near Petworth, West Sussex.

Runner-up in the nature category, which could also include images of humans connecting with the dark skies, was “A Sky Full of Stars”, by Lorcan Taylor-Hood, taken at Warren Hill dew pond on the Eastbourne downland.

Four images were highly-commended by the judges, including “There was a bear on Litlington Road” by Steve Geliot, which shows part of the Great Bear constellation reflected in a flooded road. Steve was also commended for his image of “Orion over Black Pond” at RSPB Pulborough Brooks. “The Power Above”, depicting the Milky Way over the Hiorne Tower at Arundel, by Janette Britton, was highly commended, together with “Golden Moonrise”, by Giles Embleton-Smith, who captured a golden moon behind Belle Tout lighthouse and reflecting over the seas at Seven Sisters.

All the winning images will be shared and celebrated during the National Park’s Dark Skies Festival, which runs from February 10 to 18. Visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/dark-night-skies/dark-skies-festival to see the action-packed programme. Following the festival, the shortlisted astrophotography will go into “The People’s Choice” with the chance for the public to vote for their favourite.