Starryscape Dream-Optolong 2026 Nightscape Competition
Starryscape Dream-Optolong 2026 Nightscape Competition
Entry dates: May 20 - July 15, 2026
Submission email: [email protected]
The sun and moon rise and set—as if born from the heart of the deep.
The Milky Way blazes bright—as if poured out from its core.
Yet the great river of our time flows on, restless and roaring. We are too often swept up in its noise and haste, eyes fixed on the ground beneath our feet, forgetting to lift our gaze to the vast starry river and its countless radiant wonders.
The beauty of the night sky lies in its boundlessness—in the way it holds everything, silently, without judgment. Here on this small corner of Earth, where weathers shift and waters run from mountain to shore, we cross lakes and peaks, walk through all seasons, and finally open our arms to the shimmering expanse of stars. Let the lens bear witness to that luminous field above. Let us feel—and share—the universe’s infinite promise.
Submitted and accepted date on May 20, 2026 (Wed) , due on July 15, 2026 (Wed).
Category for Submission: Astral Landscapes
Please submit your photography entries under the category of "Astral Landscapes." The focus of the submissions should be on capturing the beauty of the celestial realm in combination with terrestrial landscapes during the period between sunset and sunrise. We encourage entries that showcase the night sky, including the Milky Way, star trails, and other extraordinary celestial phenomena, integrated harmoniously with captivating earthly scenes.
Categories of Work for Submission
There are two categories in this competition. Participants must indicate the category of their work in the details of submission.
I NighScape Category: It includes photographs of the night sky featuring the Milky Way, star trails, or other shots captured with telephoto lenses that combine starry skies and terrestrial landscapes.
II Special Celestial Phenomena Category: It encompasses photographs of extraordinary celestial events such as meteor showers, lunar eclipses, auroras, comets, and other unique celestial phenomena. The images should showcase both the celestial spectacle and the surrounding landscape.
Please ensure that you specify the appropriate unit/category for your starry landscape photography submission.
Award and Prize Categories
I NighScape Category
|
Award Categories |
Winners Number | Prizes |
| The 1st Prize | One winner to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$2,000 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
| The 2nd Prize | Two winners to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$600 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
| The 3rd Prize | Three winners to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$300 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
|
Several Excellence Awards: Physical Award Trophy |
||
II Special Celestial Phenomena Category
| Award Categories | Winners Number | Prizes |
| The 1st Prize | One winner to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$1,000 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
| The 2nd Prize | One winner to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$300 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
| The 3rd Prize | One winner to be selected |
1>Cash prize of US$100 *1 2>Either L-Pro or L-eXtreme clip-in filter *1 3>Physical Trophy |
|
Several Excellence Awards: Physical Award Certificates |
||
Conditions of Entry
• Submitted works must not have won any award in previous editions of the Optolong Starryscape Dream starscape photography competition.
• Participants must ensure that their work is original and authentic, with images taken using DLSR or Mirroless cameras (Sony E-mount, Sony Alpha,Olympus OMD,Canon M6,Fujifilm) paired with lenses. Composite images or stack of images to create the final images are allowed;
• There is no limit on place for shooting, color, black and white digital photos are acceptable. There is no limit on techniques and styles. In order to highlight the creativity of works, participants can have certain post-processing. However, the entries must be objective and real, and shall not be transferred (source documents shall be provided if necessary). Submitted photos must be taken between January 1, 2023 and July 15,2026.
• All submitted entries must be original works created by the individual participant. Collaborative or group works are NOT allowed. Entries must be free of any copyright disputes. It is essential that the submitted photographs do not infringe upon any copyright or raise any copyright disputes. If any evidence of plagiarism or copyright infringement is found, the participant will be solely responsible for any legal consequences and will be disqualified from the competition.
•Both monochrome and color cameras are permitted. Acceptable camera types include the following:
Astronomy dedicated cameras
Modified DSLR cameras
Standard DSLR cameras
Mirrorless cameras
Video cameras
※Note: Entries taken with mobile phones are NOT accepted for this competition.
• Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of THREE entries for the competition.
• Entries must be submitted in electronic format (JPG, PNG);
• The maximum file size for submitted entries should not exceed 10MB. Additionally, the width or height of the photographs should be equal to or greater than 1000 pixels.;
Submission Method and Details:
Please submit your work and the required information directly to the submission email: [email protected].
Please use "2026 Starryscape Submission – [Your Name]" as the email subject.
The attachment format and email content requirements are as follows:
1)Attachment Naming: Category + Title of the Work
2)Email Content: Please include the following information in the email:
–Category of participation
–Full name
–Nationality
–Title of the work
–Subject of the photograph
–Equipment used for the capture
–Shooting parameters
–Date of capture
–Location of capture
–Brief description of the work
–Post-processing techniques used
–Interesting story related to the photograph
•Copyright of the submitted works remains with the respective authors. By participating in the competition, you grant Optolong the authorization to use your works for promotional and display purposes during the event (proper attribution will be given to the original author).
•The list of winners will be announced on the Optolong official website and other social media platforms.
Competition Time Schedule
| DATE | EVENTS |
|
May 20, 2026 (Wed) |
Submission begins. |
|
July 15, 2026 (Wed) |
Submission deadline |
|
August 5, 2026 (Wed) |
The finalists will be published on Optolong official medias |
|
August 25, 2026(Tue) |
Winners announcement of categories |
Scoring Method
All submitted entries will be objectively evaluated and judged by a panel of five expert judges specially invited by Optolong. The judges have the final decision-making authority on the winning entries. The winning entries will prioritize but are not limited to seasonal astrophotography.
The rankings for all awards will be determined through joint deliberation by the panel of expert judges invited by Optolong.
The judges themselves will not participate in this competition by submitting entries.
With the scorching summer and the fiery start of the competition, let us eagerly await and look forward to your participation!
We specially invited five judges who come from different countries to make sure this event is managed equitably and responsibly. They are Mehmet Ergün from Germany, Yuri Beletsky from Chile, Vincent Cheng from Hong Kong(China) , Steed(虞骏) from China, and Stephanie(叶梓颐) from China.
We are looking foward to your contributions!
Just feel free to click BELOE OPEN ALBUMS to review all submissions. Welcome “LIKE”, “FORWARD”, ”SHARE”, and “COMMENT”.
NightScape Category: https://photos.app.goo.gl/C2BEt8f7GC1DJpcZA
Special Celestial Category: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DzqZ9hJ61RHzLPXw9
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The ultimate interpretation right of this event belongs to Optolong Optics Co., Ltd. Participation in this call for entries implies agreement and compliance with all the rules of this competition.
Pay attention to Optolong Astro-photography contest.
