Submission for the Astrophotography Contest 2025 was closed on last Friday 31 October 2025.
This year, we received a total of 87 submissions from 27 participants. We are happy to see many new faces as well as some familiar names.
Thirteen best images will be decided by a panel of four judges for the First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, and ten Consolation Prizes. The winning photos will be featured in the desk calendar of the year 2026 to be published by the Astronomical Society of Penang, and to be displayed in the “Astrophotography and Space Art Exhibition” at the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF) in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) which is scheduled to run from December 2025 to March 2026.
Result was announced on 8 November 2025 on our YouTube channel. Congratulations to all our winners!
You can check out the winning photos below!
First Prize
Title: The Waning Moon and Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS (C/2023 A3)
Photographer: Sammax Chong
Date & Location: 1 October 2024, Genting Highlands, Pahang.
Description: Captured before dawn in October 2024, Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS (C/2023 A3) graced the eastern sky alongside the waning Moon. The soft glow of city lights beneath layers of mist and mountains added warmth to this fleeting celestial encounter. A three-photo panorama captures the tranquil transition between night and morning.
Equipment: Nikon Z7II, Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens.
Camera Settings: 52 mm, ISO 400, f/4, 8 s, 3-photo panorama.
Post Processing: Lightroom, Photoshop.
Second Prize
Title: Messier Fun Run
Photographer: Amri Karim
Date & Location: 25 August 2024, Subang, Selangor.
Description: Messier Catalog – a mosaic of all 110 Messier objects captured from home. Often attempted in a single-night “Messier Marathon,” this set became a slower, more enjoyable “Messier Fun Run,” completed over a few months. Spanning roughly 1,000 to 55 million light years away, it showcases galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.
Equipment: Sky-Watcher Quattro 8″ Newtonian, Optolong L-Ultimate filter, ZWO ASI585MC Pro, ZWO ASIAIR Plus, ZWO off-axis-guider, ZWO ASI290MM mini guide camera, ZWO AM5 mount.
Camera Settings: 0°C, Gain 100.
Post Processing: PixInsight, Photoshop.
Third Prize
Title: Carina Nebula
Photographer: Ravinder Krishnan
Date & Location: 28 February 2024, Ipoh, Perak.
Description: This is one of the brightest and largest stars forming regions in our galaxy. It has a diameter of approx. 460 light years, centered around a massive (~100X solar mass) O-type star, Eta Carinae. This star is highly unstable and may become a supernova in a few thousand years. To the northwest is a nebula, shaped like an embryo, known as the Gabriela Mistral Nebula (NGC3324). Further to the northwest, embedded in some nebulosity, is the Gem Cluster (NGC3293).
Equipment: Sharpstar EDPH61 II telescope, 0.80x Reducer, Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro mount, ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera, Svbony SV220 Dual Band Filter.
Camera Settings: Gain 100, Cooling 0°C, Integration 11h 30m.
Post Processing: Pre-processing + Processing: PixInsight; Post processing: Photoshop.
Ten Consolation Prizes
Title: Rosette Nebula
Photographer: Tay Hwee Nen
Date & Location: 3 February 2025, Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor.
Description: NGC2244 Rosette Nebula
Equipment: Nikon D5100 modded, Sky Rover 90 APO PRO, Antlia triband filter, DIY harmonic mount.
Camera Settings: ISO 2500, 240 s x 16, cooling -5°C; ISO 2500, 300 s x 8, cooling -5°C; Dark x 10, Flat x 10.
Post Processing: DeepSkyStacker, PixInsight, Lightroom, PSCC.
Title: Blue Horsehead Nebula
Photographer: Ngan Joon Ren
Date & Location: 27 April 2025, Kampung Landai, Pekan, Pahang.
Description: The Blue Horsehead is a reflection nebula located close to the head of Scorpius not far off the galactic core. Although this nebula is fairly large, it is often overshadowed by the more colorful Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex nearby. Highlights in this region include the star Jabbah (a 7-star system when resolved) formally designated as Nu Scorpii at the eye of the Blue Horsehead illuminating its silhouette as well as group vdB 101-103 shining akin to pearls further along the nape.
Equipment: Askar FRA400, Sky-Watcher EQ6R, ZWO ASI2600MC Pro, ASI120MM Mini, ASIAIR Plus and OAG-L.
Camera Settings: 180s exposures @ 0 Gain (-5°C).
Post Processing: Stacked (with darks/flats/bias) and processed via PixInsight.
Title: The Four Minutes Craze Under the Moon Shadow
Photographer: Gan Kwang Chun
Date & Location: 8 April 2024, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Description: A total solar eclipse is marked by its defining moments – the two Diamond Rings and the Totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. As the sky darkens, the air cools, and animals plunged into confusion, creating a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle of cosmic wonder.
Equipment: Nikon D600 camera, Nikkor 70-300mm lens, tripod.
Camera Settings: 1/500 s, f/18, ISO 320; 1/60 s, f/18, ISO 320; 1/60 s, f/18, ISO 320.
Post Processing: Lightroom, Photoshop.
Title: Stranded Under the Stars
Photographer: Ewe Lean Chee
Date & Location: 11 May 2024, Endau, Johor.
Description: A serene nighttime coastal scene featuring a weathered fishing boat resting on wet sand at low tide. Above, the Milky Way stretches majestically across the sky, its dense band of stars and cosmic dust glowing vividly against the dark expanse. The lower horizon glows with hues of orange, pink, and blue from distant lights, creating a gentle gradient that reflects on the water’s surface. The tranquil reflection of the boat display combines to evoke a powerful sense of calm and connection between the earth and the cosmos.
Equipment: Sony A7R III, Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G.
Camera Settings: Sky: 30 frames stacking, 91 s, ISO 500, f/2.0; Foreground: 13 frames stacking.
Post Processing: Sequator, Lightroom, PSCC.
Title: Milky Way
Photographer: Wong Wei Fu
Date & Location: 20 June 2025, Pahang.
Description: Milky Way.
Equipment: A7S astro modded, Viltrox 24mm F1.8.
Camera Settings: 1 minute, ISO 1250.
Post Processing: Stacked / Blend/ Tracked, Photoshop.
Title: Saturn 2025 Composite
Photographer: Muhammad Ashraf bin Azwadi
Date & Location: 22 September 2025, Batu Rakit, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.
Description: A composite of Saturn from the 2025 session. It shows the rings tilted and gradually becoming less slanted, and more interestingly, the shadow of the rings has flipped from the north to the south. The date is 19 August, 11 Sept, 21 Sept, 3 Oct and 6 Oct in UT (from left to right). The middle frame is when Saturn was at opposition. Each Saturn is rotated by arctan (√2) clockwise from north-up position.
Equipment: Sky-Watcher Flextube 200P telescope, ZWO ASI585MC camera, Svbony 3x Telecentric Lens, Svbony UV/IR Cut Filter.
Camera Settings: Gain 443, Exposure 10.00ms.
Post Processing: FireCapture, PIPP, Autostakkert!4, RegiStax 6, WinJUPOS, Adobe Photoshop.
Title: Racing Against the Moon
Photographer: Chan Mun Chung
Date & Location: 20 June 2025, 12 Apostles, Victoria, Australia.
Description: A multirow panorama of the setting Milky Way arch near sunrise at 12
Apostles along Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. This was shot the same night after landing from an 8-hour flight to Melbourne & another 3 hours’ drive to my most favorite place in Australia. Had to shoot this very quickly because the moon was rising and would ruin the image.
Equipment: Nikon D810a, Sigma ART 35mm F1.4.
Camera Settings: Sky & Foreground: 10 s, f/1.4, ISO 3200.
Post Processing: Stitched in PTGui, Processed in Photoshop.
Title: Triangulum Galaxy M33
Photographer: Muhammad Najmi bin Tajudin
Date & Location: 23 August 2025, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Description: Triangulum Galaxy (Messier 33).
Equipment: Askar 107PHQ refractor, ZWO ASI071MC Pro, ZWO ASIAIR Pro, ZWO EFW 5 x 2″, ZWO EAF, Svbony 120mm guidescope, ZWO ASI585MC guide camera, ZWO AM3 mount, Svbony SV241 power management.
Camera Settings: Duoband Svbony SV220: 25 x 300 sec + 5 x 900 sec; Broadband filter L-Pro: 50 x 180 sec; No filter: 60 x 180 sec. Total integration time: 8.83 hrs.
Post Processing: Stack, Pixelmath, BGE, colour calibration and histogram stretch in SIRIL. No removing stars has been done. Touch up color in Photoshop. RC Astro NoiseX 50/20.
Title: Inside of Cygnus Loop: Eastern Veil Nebula
Photographer: Fadhlul Wafi bin Badrudin
Date & Location: 30 October 2025, Sepang, Selangor.
Description: Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992) capture within 5 nights session from 24/9/2025 to 30/10/2025. With sub exposure of 300sec, total integration of time is about 6.67 hours. As the nebula is a region which rich in oxygen and hydrogen emission, all of the light frames were taken using duo band filter (Ha II and O III) 7nm. The image taken at Bortle 8 location within Sepang district in the front yard of the house. The challenge that has be faced is the stray light from the streetlight and rarely clear sky during the monsoon seasons.
Equipment: Svbony SV504 80ED, ZWO ASI585MC Pro, ZWO AM3 mount, ZWO ASIAIR mini, ZWO ASI120MC guide camera.
Camera Settings: Gain 200, 300 sec exposure.
Post Processing: Stacked using Siril software, and GraXpert for noise reduction.
Title: Crux Reflection
Photographer: Chin Kim Loong
Date & Location: 26 May 2025, Nenasi Jetty, Pahang.
Description: Clear sky!
Equipment: Sony A7S astro modded, Samyang 24mm F1.4, AstroSoft filter, Kenko Prosofton.
Camera Settings: 17 x 23 s, ISO 3200, 24 mm, f/2.
Post Processing: Sequator, Photoshop CC, PixInsight.
