The 2025 Capture the Dark photography contest has revealed breathtaking winners that showcase both the magnificent beauty of our night sky and the urgent threat of light pollution. Organized by DarkSky International, this global competition highlights the growing challenge photographers face when capturing celestial wonders, as artificial light continues to wash out stars and interfere with astrophotography worldwide.

Light pollution is rising at an alarming rate of nearly 10 percent annually across the globe, making it increasingly difficult for photographers to capture the natural beauty of the night sky. This artificial illumination doesn't just impact photography – it disrupts ecosystems, affects human health, and prevents people from experiencing the wonder of the universe above.

The contest's top winner in "The Impact of Light Pollution" category was "Requiem for a Dream" by Ambre de l'AIPe, captured in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. This striking image was shot using a 17-year-old Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a Canon 17-40mm f/4 lens. The photographer explained the scene: "The tent is pitched in the snow, and a sea of clouds filters the light from the town of Chamonix. An incredible atmosphere and it's even more incredible to realize that the town, despite the clouds obscuring the light, shines right up to the summit of Mont-Blanc." The technical details reveal a single exposure taken at f/4, 30-second shutter speed, and ISO 1250.

In the "Capture the Dark" category, JJ Rao's "The Watchers" took first place with an extraordinary image of rare red sprites dancing over the tidal flats of Western Australia. Shot in Derby, Australia, using a Sony A7 IV with a Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art lens, this stacked image required precise timing since these phenomena exist for just 10 milliseconds – 40 times faster than an eye blink. The central sprite featured in the image is known as a 'jellyfish' sprite, representing the largest and fastest type of sprite formations.

The "Deep Sky Observations" category winner was Alpha Zhang's "Breathing Vela Supernova Remnant Mosaic," a four-panel mosaic covering the primary emission signals of the Vela Supernova Remnant in the southern constellation Vela. This complex project involved 109 hours of exposure time using a Moravian G4-16000 Mark I camera with a Takahashi FSQ-106ED telescope and various filters including Astrodon LRGB Ha SII OIII.

Tom Rae captured the "International Dark Sky Places" category winner with "Starlight Highway," photographed at New Zealand's Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in Canterbury. Using a Nikon Z6a with Sigma 28mm F1.4 Art lens, this tracked panorama showcases the famous Starlight Highway sign marking the entrance to one of Earth's most significant dark sky reserves. The technical approach involved different settings for sky and foreground: F2.5 and 30-second exposure at ISO 3200 for the sky, and F8 with 10-second exposure at ISO 800 for the foreground.

The "People's Choice Award" went to a remarkable smartphone photograph by Siddharth Patel, who captured the Milky Way with Comet C/2023 A3 using his mother's Samsung S21. Shot in Fingal, Ontario, Canada, this image demonstrates that exceptional astrophotography doesn't always require expensive equipment. Patel had to leave the city lights behind, convincing his family to drive to darker skies where both the comet and Milky Way were visible to the naked eye. The phone camera settings were f/1.5 aperture, 30-second shutter speed, and ISO 800 for this stacked image.

Through the Capture the Dark contest, DarkSky International continues its mission to educate the public about light pollution while promoting smarter lighting solutions to restore our view of the night sky. These award-winning images serve not only as artistic inspiration but also as powerful tools for raising awareness about the importance of preserving our natural darkness for future generations of photographers and stargazers.