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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Derry's Patryk Sadowski's picture of ‘Manannán mac Lir & Aurora’ was awarded the runner-up prize in the ‘Back on Earth’ category.
A Derry man’s photo, ‘Manannán mac Lir & Aurora’, has been selected as a runner-up in the 2023 Reach for the Stars astrophotography competition run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
‘Manannán mac Lir & Aurora’ was awarded the runner-up prize in the ‘Back on Earth’ category.
The image is a single frame shot captured at Gortmore Viewpoint in Co. Derry, which is part of the Causeway Coastal Route. The sculpture of Celtic Sea god Manannán mac Lir looks out at the dancing sky over Benone beach.
On the night the image was captured, the display of the aurora borealis lasted 30 minutes. The image was taken by Patryk Sadowski from Derry city.
Patryk’s winning image will be showcased as part of an outdoor exhibition at DIAS's premises at 10 Burlington Road, Dublin which opens today (Tuesday, 1st August). The 14 top-rated images from the competition will be displayed alongside Patryk’s. The exhibition is free to attend.
A photo entitled ‘Crescent Moon over Donegal’, also taken by Patryk Sadowski, will be displayed as part of the outdoor exhibition. It shows our natural satellite, the Moon, taken on a night with very clear skies on the Inishowen Peninsula.
The winners were selected by a judging panel following a meticulous judging process of over 70 entries. In addition to Prof. Peter Gallagher, the judging panel included Brenda Fitzsimons, Picture Editor, The Irish Times; Michael McCreary, President, Irish Astronomical Society; and Niamh Breathnach, Director, Alice Public Relations.
Commenting on the competition, Michael McCreary, President of the Irish Astronomical Society and member of the judging panel, said: “As a new member of the judging panel this year, I was honoured to be involved in the judging process.
“Astro-photography competitions are a great way to reconnect the general public to the night sky, capturing their imaginations with these stunning astro-photographs. Through the competition we can encourage as many people as possible to explore our world through the night sky.
“Joining a local astronomy club or society is a great way to get involved and there are lots of groups around the country.”
The winning images are all available to view now online on www.reachforthestars.ie.
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