Every year, we cover the dazzling array of images that have been submitted to travel blog Capture The Atlas as part of their Northern Lights Photographer of the Year awards (take a peek at 2025’s winners here).
However, the aurora borealis is far from the only celestial spectacle being snapped by photographers, and now, Capture The Atlas has produced its ninth annual edition of the Milky Way Photographer of the Year, which for 2026 received a staggering 6,500 submissions.
Recommended: The world’s best places to see the Northern Lights.
‘Every year, this collection reminds us that photographing the Milky Way is not only about technique or planning. It is about curiosity, patience, and the desire to experience the night sky in places where it still feels wild,’ says Dan Zafra, editor of Capture the Atlas. ‘Many of these skies are becoming increasingly rare, and we hope these images inspire people not only to admire them, but also to value and protect them.’
Twelve different countries feature in the collection of winners, including snaps taken in New Zealand, Chile, France and Botswana, and we’ve handpicked several favourites from this year’s competition. Scroll on.
To view all the official winners of this year’s competition, head to the Capture The Atlas official site.
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