The 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has received more outstanding pictures than ever before. The competition which is run by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in association with Sky at Night Magazine, is now in its fifth year and continues to go from strength to strength. The competition has received a record number of entries, more than 1200 spectacular photographs, from enthusiastic amateurs and professional photographers around the globe. This is my playground where I chase stars as often as I can-I am not religious, but standing under a starry sky with no one around for miles can certainly seem like a spiritual experience. I think this and the challenge of capturing the night sky is why I keep trying for the ultimate shot. Nights of no sleep, just to get the shot that I imagined in my mind beforehand with the stars and the Milky Way aligning perfectly above the landscape. The rewards of that successfully capturing that shot keeps me coming back for more.
The diversity of locations is not just limited to Earth. Photographers have also captured sights from across our Solar system, galaxy and beyond, from frenzied solar storms on the surface of the Sun, to clusters of hot blue stars surrounded by swirling dust, to the eddying mix of pink and red gases of the Carina Nebula, where a massive star lurks at the heart of a constellation more than 7500 light years away. The winners of the competitions four categories and three special prizes will be announced on 18 September and an exhibition of all the winning images opens the following day on 19 September at the Royal Observatory. The exhibition is free of charge and runs until 23 February 2014. Winners and shortlisted entries will also be published in the competition's official book, available on 19 September from bookstores and online also.