Derry Photographers Encouraged to Look Up as Major Astrophotography Contest Launches in Ireland

Derry photographers are being encouraged to participate in Ireland’s leading astrophotography competition, which has opened for entries and aims to capture the best images of the night sky taken across the country.

The Reach for the Stars Astrophotography Competition, now in its sixth year, is organised by the School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) and invites photographers from all over Ireland to submit their work.

The competition seeks astro-photographs taken in Ireland between 26 April 2024 and 02 June 2025, with the deadline for entries approaching.

Organisers are specifically urging photographers from Derry and surrounding areas to look up at the night sky and contribute their images to the contest, which celebrates Ireland’s growing interest in astrophotography.

The initiative aims to find the best astrophotographs taken in Ireland while encouraging public engagement with astronomy and the night sky.