The Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2024 winners are here, more stunning than ever

Capture the Atlas has unveiled one of the galleries we’ve anxiously awaited. The 7th edition of its annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year is here, even more amazing than the previous one. I know; I thought it was impossible, too.

As always, the contest highlights the top 25 photos of the Milky Way, not just a single overall winner. It’s released in late May to align with the peak of the Milky Way season, which lasts from February to October in the Northern Hemisphere and from January to November in the Southern Hemisphere. The Milky Way is most visible and ideal for photography between May and June, offering maximum visibility hours on both hemispheres.

The selection for this year contains photos from 15 countries worldwide, from the US to Australia and New Zealand; From Chile to Yemen. These captivating images were taken by 25 photographers of 19 different nationalities. After reviewing over 5,000 submissions, the final 25 images were chosen for the 2024 edition. I bet it was a difficult task!

Dan Zafra, editor of Capture the Atlas, curates these photos throughout the year. He looks for images taken by both renowned photographers and new talents. He also looks for new locations where the Milky Way hasn’t been photographed before, such as the Oman, Altiplano, and Bulgaria images in this year’s edition. Naturally, he also picks high-quality images that tell the story and inspire the viewer.

Photographing the Milky Way

If you want to photograph the Milky Way, Dan shares useful tips, which you can read here. “Besides the timing, the other requirement for seeing the Milky Way is a dark sky that is far away from light pollution,” he notes. “It’s always recommended to get away from light-polluted areas like cities and to visit preferably areas at higher elevations.”

Enjoy more extraordinary photos below, and check out Capture the Atlas for the complete gallery. It will definitely make your jaw drop!