Locals urged to take part in astrophotography competition

TYRONE stargazers are being urged to tilt their heads upwards and look to the night skies in a bid to win a prestigious photographic competition organised by The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS)

The astrophotography competition ‘Reach for the Stars’ is back for its second year and is now open for entries. It is seeking the best astro-photographs taken in Ireland over the period April 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022.

It is calling for submissions under two distinct categories:

Out of this World: Images depicting scenes / features or elements of astronomical interest. For example, deep space images or images of the solar system.

Back on Earth: Astro-landscape images that depict a feature or element of astronomical interest and capture elements such as nature, cityscapes, buildings or monuments, land, or water.

Last year’s winner was Josh Mathews from Co Galway. His image ‘To the Waters and the Wild’, depicted the night sky over Crocnaraw on the Connemara coast.

Launching the competition, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, CEO and registrar of DIAS, said, “Following on from the huge success of last year’s competition, we are excited to see what entries will be submitted this year, what creativity people bring, and what images they have captured.

“DIAS has a rich legacy and expertise in astronomy and it is fantastic to be able to showcase that, while also capturing the public’s imagination and creativity through the wonders of space.

“Last year we received entries from people in Tyrone and right across the country, and this year we hope to see even more. The competition is open to everyone – whether they are a seasoned professional or amateur with a love for astronomy. We just asked that they follow the competition guidelines carefully when making the submission to ensure their images are eligible.”

Professor Peter Gallagher, head of astrophysics at DIAS added “We were blown away by submissions to the competition last year. From images that captured very complex astronomical features and others that captured the night-sky perfectly against beautiful Irish landscape – we had such a range of entries making our job as judges very difficult.

“As part of the competition, it was great to have the shortlisted entries printed for our outdoor exhibition at DIAS last year. Seeing them in large format really brings them to life and we hope to do the same again with this year’s shortlisted entries.

Competition Details

Entrants may submit up to two images per category to the competition. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Saturday, April 30. All entries to the competition will be screened by a shortlisting panel to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. The shortlisted images in each category will then go forward for consideration by the judging panel and for an online public vote.

Prize Package

The winning photographers in the two main categories, as selected by the judging panel, will receive a prize package that includes:

• Publication of their images on the DIAS and Irish Times websites;

• A VIP tour of DIAS Dunsink Observatory – with the opportunity to peer through Ireland’s largest refractor telescope.

• One pass for up to four guests for ‘Race to Space’, a fully immersive escape room experience, hosted at DIAS Dunsink Observatory.

• A €500 voucher for photographic/ telescopic equipment;

• A 12-month Premium Digital subscription to The Irish Times.

Two runners up in each category will also be selected by the judges, and will each receive a €200 voucher for photographic/telescopic equipment. The winner of the Public Choice category, will also receive voucher to the value of €150 for photographic / telescopic equipment.

• Further information, including the guidelines and entry form, is available at www.reachforthestars.ie