The sky served up no scarcity of spectacle in 2025 —from lunar liaisons, photo voltaic prominences and fleeting meteor showers, to aurora and nebula scenes that unfold on a scale nearly too large for the human thoughts to grasp.
And whereas we expertise the cosmos first by way of the human eye, our imaginative and prescient has limits. We will not zoom in on distant nebulas, see the faintest glows, or safely take within the brightest targets — and far of the electromagnetic spectrum is invisible to us totally.
10 Unbelievable astrophotography highlights of 2025
1. Plasma twists above the photo voltaic floor
Astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured a jaw-droppingly detailed view of hydrogen plasma suspended within the highly effective magnetic area above the solar on Oct. 20 from Willow Springs, Arizona, utilizing a TEC160FL refractor telescope fitted with specialised filters.
2. A nebula shark is spied searching by way of the depths of house
Ronald Brecher, in the meantime, set his sights additional afield, focusing on a spectacular deep-house nebula vista within the constellation Cepheus, some 650 light-years from Earth, which occurs to resemble a huge cosmic shark swimming by way of deep house.
3. The moon and solar meet over Stonehenge
This beautiful composite shot detailing the phases of a partial photo voltaic eclipse unfolding above the traditional monument of Stonehenge was captured by award-winning photographer Josh Dury as the moon slid between the solar and Earth on March 29.
4. Comet Lemmon twists within the photo voltaic wind
In a yr packed filled with phenomenal cometary capers, astrophotographer Dan Bartlett captured a staggering picture of comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) wanting its finest because it shone within the skies over June Lake, California, on Sept. 26, as its tail twisted within the relentless stream of the photo voltaic wind.
5. The northern lights from 36,000 ft
In fact, not all the finest astrophotography topics exist past Earth’s ambiance. Airline pilot Matt Melnyk snapped a formidable view of the northern lights shining within the higher ambiance from a top of 36,000 ft (11 kilometers), whereas shepherding a Boeing 787 from London to Calgary throughout a geomagnetic storm on Nov. 12.
6. A cosmic baboon rages light-years from Earth
Astrophotographer Greg Meyer captured mild of a extra historical selection whereas imaging a nebula 500 light-years from Earth within the constellation Corona Australis, which takes on the form of a mandrill with glowing blue eyes in long-exposure images.
7. Perseid meteors race the Milky Means
This beautiful composite from Josh Dury exhibits capturing stars belonging to the annual Perseid meteor bathe streaking in direction of the horizon alongside the glowing band of the Milky Means above the enduring Durdle Door rock formation in Dorset, United Kingdom.
8. An ‘Elve’ pink halo flashes to life over the Italian Alps
Valter Binotto, in the meantime, was capable of seize a split-second view of a pink ring manifesting over the Italian Alps on Nov. 17. This unusual phenomenon, often known as an “elve”, is a super-rare type of lightning that happens within the higher ambiance, which lasts lower than a thousandth of a second and may span as much as 300 miles (480 km) in diameter, based on NOAA.
9. Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) crosses the Eagle Nebula
Astronomer Daniele Gasparri seized the chance to picture the glowing inexperienced coma and diffuse tail of comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) because it handed in entrance of the Eagle Nebula within the constellation Serpens, the serpent on the evening of Oct. 17. Look to the left of the comet to search out the enduring Pillars of Creation — huge collections of mud and fuel made well-known by the Hubble Area Telescope — nestled beneath a inhabitants of stars near the nebula’s glowing core.
10. A blood moon over Egypt
Lastly, photographer Osama Fathi captured a good looking composite scene chronicling the rise of the Sept. 7 “Blood Moon” because it soared into the skies over the chalk formations in Egypt’s White Desert, whereas contending with the shifting mild situations and destabilizing gusts of wind.
Feeling impressed to take the primary steps by yourself astrophotography journey? Then why not take a look at our picks of the finest cameras and lenses for imaging the evening sky to make sure that you are prepared for 2026.
Editor’s Be aware: If you want to share your astrophotography with Area.com’s readers, then please ship your picture(s), feedback, and your identify and site to spacephotos@house.com.
