Our 10 favorite Space.com reader astronomy photos of 2025

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The sky has had no shortage of spectacle in 2025: lunar connections, solar prominences and ephemeral meteor showers, scenes of aurora and nebulae that unfold on a scale almost too large for the human mind to comprehend.

And although we first experience the cosmos through the human eye, our vision has limits. We can’t zoom in on distant nebulae, see the faintest glow, or safely capture the brightest targets – and much of the electromagnetic spectrum is entirely invisible to us.

Fortunately, the Espace.com The community is full of talented photographers and observers, armed with sophisticated cameras, clever techniques, and powerful telescopes capable of revealing the hidden majesty of the cosmos. Read on for a selection of breathtaking images captured by astrophotographers around the world and featured on Espace.com throughout 2025.

10 Incredible Astrophotography Highlights of 2025

1. Plasma twists above the solar surface

Astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured a incredibly detailed view of hydrogen plasma suspended in the powerful magnetic field above the sun on October 20 from Willow Springs, Arizona, using a TEC160FL refractor telescope equipped with specialized filters.

2. A cloud shark is seen hunting in the depths of space

Ronald Brecher, meanwhile, has set his sights further, targeting spectacular depth.space nebula seen in the constellation Cepheus, around 650 light years Since Earthwhich looks like a vast cosmic shark swim in deep space.

3. The moon and sun meet above Stonehenge

This superb composite photo detailing the phases of a partial project solar eclipse which takes place above the ancient monument of Stonehenge has been captured by an award-winning photographer Josh Dury as the moon slipped between the Sun and Earth on March 29.

4. Comet Lemmon twists in the solar wind

In a year full of phenomenal cometary adventures, astrophotographer Dan Bartlett captured a stunning image of comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) at its best as it shone in the sky over June Lake, California, on September 26, as its tail twisted in the relentless current of the solar wind.

5. The Northern Lights at 36,000 feet

Of course, not all of the best astrophotography subjects exist beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Airline pilot Matt Melnyk took an impressive view of the northern lights shining in the upper atmosphere from a height of 36,000 feet (11 kilometers), while flying a Boeing 787 from London to Calgary during a geomagnetic storm on November 12.

6. A cosmic baboon rages light years from Earth

Astrophotographer Greg Meyer captured light of an older variety by imagining a nebula 500 light years from Earth in the constellation Corona Australis, which takes the shape of a mandrill with bright blue eyes in long exposure photography.

7. Perseid meteors travel through the Milky Way

This stunning composite from Josh Dury shows shooting stars belonging to the year Perseid meteor shower stretching towards the horizon alongside the bright band of the Milky Way above the iconic Durdle Door rock formation in Dorset, UK.

8. A red “Elf” halo comes to life over the Italian Alps

Valter Binotto, meanwhile, was able to capture a split-second view of a red ring appearing above the Italian Alps on November 17. This strange phenomenon, known as ‘elf’, is an extremely rare form of lightning that occurs in the upper atmosphere, lasts less than a thousandth of a second and can extend up to 300 miles (480 km) across, according to NOAA.

9. Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) passes through the Eagle Nebula

Astronomer Daniele Gasparri seized the opportunity to image the bright green coma and diffuse tail of comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) as it is passed the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens, the serpent on the night of October 17. Look to the left of the comet to find the iconic Pillars of Creation — vast collections of dust and gases made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope – nestled under a population of stars close to the bright core of the nebula.

10. A blood moon over Egypt

Finally, photographer Osama Fathi captured a magnificent composite scene recounting the rise of the “Blood Moon” on September 7 as it soared through the skies above the chalk formations of Egypt’s White Desert, all the while battling changing light conditions and destabilizing wind gusts.

Feeling inspired to take the first steps on your own astrophotography journey? So why not check out our selection of best cameras And lenses for imaging the night sky to ensure you are ready for 2026.

Editor’s note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com readers, please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.