Comet Lovejoy sails through the solar system in a green haze leaving a trail of cometary dust in its wake.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, vivid green Northern Lights dance above Lyngenfjord - the longest fjord in Troms county Norway - tracing out the shape of the Earth's magnetic field above the waters.
In neighboring Iceland, a photographer captures the rare sighting of a red aurora, caused by the emission of high-altitude oxygen, dancing over the small fishing town of Eyrarbakki.
These shots are just some of the spectacular images vying for top spot in the prestigious Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015 contest.
Now in its seventh, the contest has received more than 2,700 entries from enthusiastic amateurs and professional photographers from 60 countries.
Shortlisted images from this year’s entrants include the astonishing view of a meteor piercing through the darkness as the Milky Way towers above the 4,392 metre peak of Mount Rainier in Washington.
Another entry from the shortlist of 139 images shows an enthralled stargazer immersed in the stars as the luminous purple sky is mirrored in the thin sheet of water across the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.
The range of locations is not just limited to our planet. Photographers have also captured sights from across our solar system, galaxy and the wider universe.
For instance, amateur astronomers have managed to capture the hypergiant star, Eta Carinae, glowing against the background of swirling clouds of dust and gases that form the Carina Nebula.
Meanwhile, a competing image shows the expansive stellar nursery of the Lagoon Nebula positioned around 5,000 light years away.
Another photographer managed to capture, the majestic sight of the full moon setting behind the rose-tinted Alps taken in the silent surroundings of Superga hill in Turin, Italy, mere minutes before sunrise.
The competition’s judges include renowned comedian and keen amateur astronomer Jon Culshaw, Editor of Sky at Night Magazine Chris Bramley and the Royal Observatory’s Public Astronomer Dr Marek Kukula.
The winners of the newly expanded competition’s nine categories and two special prizes will be announced on 17 September at a special award ceremony at the Royal Observatory in London.
The overall winner will receive a top prize of £2,500 ($3,870), and the winning images will be displayed in a free exhibition at the Observatory’s Astronomy Centre from the following day.
