Sky-Watcher 2025 – Astro Photographer of the Year (Nightscapes)
Full reference table for the Sky-Watcher 2025 nightscape category used in the Nightmap insights page. The table is compiled from publicly available information on the competition website. Find the official winners gallery and entry information on the Sky-Watcher Australia Astrophotographer of the Year page .
| Rank | Photographer | Image Title | Camera | Lens | Sky FL | Foreground FL | Sky Exposure Details | Foreground Exposure Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Max Inwood | Nightfall on the Burnetts | Canon 6D | Sigma 28mm f/2 | 28 | 28 | 30s, f/2, ISO 3200 | 30s, f/2, ISO 3200 | Nightscape gold winner; single frame (no stacking) |
| Silver | Tom Rae | Dragons Tear | Nikon Z6a + Nikon Z7 | Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 (sky) + Sigma 28mm f/1.4 (foreground) | 14 | 28 | 20×30s, f/2.5, ISO 3200 | 26 images, 20s–1 min, f/5.6–2.8, ISO 800–3200 | Silver nightscape; multi‑camera and multi‑lens composite with separate sky and foreground exposures |
| Silver | Tom Rae | Celestial Realm | Fujifilm X‑T30 | Viltrox 27mm f/1.4 (sky) + Fujinon XF23mm f/1.4 (foreground) | 27 | 23 | 60s, f/1.4, ISO 800 | 60s, f/2.0, ISO 800 | Silver nightscape; uses two lenses for sky and ground with identical exposure times. |
| Silver | Evan McKay | Waiohine Gorge | Nikon Z6a | Sigma 40mm Art | 40 | 40 | 15s, f/2, ISO 1600 (no stacking) | 15s, f/2, ISO 1600 (no stacking) | Silver nightscape; single exposure; sky & ground shot simultaneously. |
| Bronze | Tom Rae | Wanderer | Nikon Z6a | Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Art | 40 | 40 | 2 panels ×16 frames, f/1.8, ISO 1600; plus 5×Hα exposures at f/1.6, ISO 6400, 60s | 30s, f/8, ISO 400 | Bronze; same 40 mm lens; multi‑panel tracked sky and static foreground; also includes Hα layer. |
| Bronze | Tom Rae | The Ridge | Nikon Z6a (sky) + Nikon Z7 (foreground) | Sigma 40mm f/1.4 (sky) + Nikkor 24–70mm f/4 (foreground) | 40 | 24 | 49×30s, f/1.8, ISO 1600 | 13×20s, f/5.6, ISO 125 | Bronze; multi‑camera composite; sky shot at 40mm and foreground at 24mm; stitched panorama. |
| Bronze | Stephen Mudge | Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS over Brisbane | Canon EOS R | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS | 100 | 100 | 4s per frame, f/4, ISO 1600 (panorama) | 4s per frame, f/4, ISO 1600 (panorama) | Bronze; panorama of comet with city lights; no separate foreground exposures. |
| Bronze | Owain Scullion | The Cosmic Rays of the Tasman | Fujifilm X‑T30 | Fujinon XF23mm f/1.4 | 23 | 23 | 60s, f/1.8, ISO 800 | 30s, f/2.8, ISO 3200 | Bronze; same lens; separate sky and ground exposures at different apertures. |
| Bronze | Dennis Mellican | Cosmic Pump | Sony A7III | Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 | 50 | 50 | 17×59s, f/1.8, ISO 800 | 17×59s, f/1.8, ISO 800 | Bronze; tracked stack of 17 frames; |
| Bronze | Will Hudson | Cazneaux Stars | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor Z 14–24mm | 14 | 14 | 4 min per panel, f/3.2, ISO 800 (3×6 mosaic) | 4 min per panel, f/3.2, ISO 800 (3×6 mosaic) | Bronze; 3×6‑panel panorama; same focal length for sky and ground. |
| Bronze | Max Inwood | Tasman Moonlight | Canon 6D | Sigma 28mm f/2 | 28 | 28 | 25s, f/2, ISO 3200 | 25s, f/2, ISO 3200 | Bronze; single‑shot panorama; no separate FG exposure. |
| Bronze | Max Inwood | Uluru Milky Way | Canon 6D | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art | 50 | 50 | 30s, f/2, ISO 3200 (tracked sky panorama) | 30s, f/2, ISO 3200 (static FG) | Bronze; same lens; blend of tracked sky and static foreground. |
| Bronze | Kavan Chay | Land of Ice | Nikon Z7 | Sigma Art 40mm f/1.4 | 40 | 40 | Sky RGB: 4×3 frames at 50 s, f/1.8, ISO 1250; Rho region: 10 frames, 60 s, f/1.8, ISO 1250 | 4×3 frames, 60 s, f/4, ISO 2000 | Bronze; sky and FG shot at 40 mm; separate exposures for RGB, Rho region and FG; stacked and stitched. |
| Bronze | Kavan Chay | Evolution of Stars | Nikon Z7 | Sigma Art 40mm f/1.4 | 40 | 40 | Sky RGB: 4×3 frames at 50 s, f/1.8, ISO 1250; Rho region: 10 frames, 60 s, f/1.8, ISO 1250 | 4×3 frames, 60 s, f/4, ISO 2000 | Bronze; identical workflow to Land of Ice with sky and FG at 40 mm. |
| Bronze | Rachel Roberts | Keyhole | Canon R6ii (astro‑mod) | Sigma Art 28mm f/1.4 | 28 | 28 | 60 s, f/3.2, ISO 2000 | 60 s, f/2, ISO 4000 | Bronze; same 28 mm lens; sky and ground shot separately at different apertures. |
| Bronze | Paul Wilson | Contingency | Canon R6ii | Sigma 28mm Art | 28 | 28 | 30 s, f/3.2, ISO 6400 | 30 s, f/3.2, ISO 6400 | Bronze; simple single exposure at 28 mm; no separate FG layer. |
| Bronze | Chester Hall‑Fernandez | Arthur's Arch | Astro‑modded Nikon Z6 | Tamron 35mm | 35 | 35 | Not provided | Not provided | Bronze; the page lists camera and lens but no exposure information. |
| Bronze | Bikram Ghosh | Reaching For The Stars | Canon 6D | Sigma 40mm | 40 | 40 | 6×10×90 s, f/2, ISO 800 | 6×10×90 s, f/2, ISO 800 | Bronze; exposures listed as 6×10×90 s; no separate foreground exposures. |
| Bronze | Brent Martin | Between Two Rocks & A Star Place | Sony Alpha 7 III | Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 GM | 14 | 14 | 90 s, f/3.2, ISO 800 | 90 s, f/3.2, ISO 800 | Bronze; tracked 90‑second exposure at 14 mm; no separate FG exposure. |