2026 Optolong Deep-Sky Astrophotography Competition
2026 Optolong Deep-Sky Astrophotography Competition
Preface
Explore the magic of the universe, capture deep-sky celestial objects, and share your deep-sky astrophotography works and stories with astronomy enthusiasts worldwide.
Billions of light-years away, nebulae stretch out and galaxies rotate, holding countless cosmic mysteries. Take your telescope as your eye, use long exposures to capture faint light that has traveled across the star ocean, and freeze the appearance of distant celestial bodies into images. Through these photos, convey your sense of wonder for deep space and share your unique view of the cosmos with fellow stargazers. The 8th OPTOLONG Deep-Sky Astrophotography Competition awaits your stellar masterpiece!
♦ The competition is open to all astrophotography enthusiasts at home and abroad.
The Theme of the Competition
Capture the unknown universe and share your observing experience.
Submitted Dates
October 20, 2026 to December 20, 2026
Entry Categories
There are two categories in this competition. Participants must indicate the category of their work in the details of submission.
DeepSky Category: It means astronomical deep sky photography works of celestial bodies, which including star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, etc.
SolarSystem Category: Solar objects such as Planets, Moon, Sun, Comet, eclipse, object transits and other celestial objects in the solar system;
Prize Level of the Categories
DeepSky Category
| Level | Prize Category | Winners Number | Prizes |
| 1 | The 1st Prize | One winner to be selected |
❶$2,000 *1 ❷Optolong L2 Dual-Combo Set *1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
| 2 | The 2nd Prize | Two winners to be selected |
❶$1,000 *1 ❷Optolong L2 Dual-Combo Set *1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
| 3 | The 3rd. Prize | Three winners to be selected |
❶$300 *1 ❷Optolong L2 Dual-Combo Set *1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
| 4 | Talented Prize | Several winners to be selected |
❶Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
*The first, the second and the third prizes shall not be repeated by default. If the different works from a photographer win any of the first, second and third prizes, the higher prize shall be deemed as a valid prize;
*The Talented Prize award and the first, the second and the third prizes are not allowed to be shared;
*The prizes offered as final, and cannot be exchanged for a cash;
SolarSystem Category
| Level | Prize Category | Winners Number | Prizes |
| 1 | The 1st Prize | One winner to be selected |
❶$1,000 *1 ❷Optolong Planetary Filters kit（UV/IR Cut, R, G, B, IR685） *1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
| 2 | The 2nd Prize | One winner to be selected |
❶$500*1 ❷Optolong Planetary Filters kit（UV/IR Cut, R, G, B, IR685） *1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate *1 |
| 3 | The 3rd. Prize | One winner to be selected |
❶$100 *1 ❷Optolong Planetary Filters kit（UV/IR Cut, R, G, B, IR685）*1 ❸Trophy of Awards & Honors + Certificate*1 |
*The first, the second and the third prizes shall not be repeated by default. If the different works from a photographer win any of the first, second and third prizes, the higher prize shall be deemed as a valid prize;
*The prizes offered as final, and cannot be exchanged for a cash;
Conditions of Entry
♦ Submitted images must NOT have won any awards in any previous Optolong Deep-Sky Astrophotography Competition.
♦ Participants must own the copyright of submitted works and use their own imaging equipment. Paid professional remote imaging rental services are prohibited. Images captured via commercial remote observatories where users directly purchase observing time or raw data (such as iTelescope or Chilean remote observatories) are not eligible. Images taken with self-built remote observatories are acceptable. Data from professional observatories or research institutions (e.g. ESO, Subaru, HST) cannot be used to create competition entries..
♦All entries must be original works by the participant and free of copyright disputes. If plagiarism or copyright infringement is verified, the participant shall bear all liabilities and be disqualified.
♦Team submissions, collaborative works or photos taken by multiple people under a group name will NOT be accepted. Only individual original works are eligible.
♦ Permitted cameras: monochrome cameras (with or without filter wheel) or one-shot colour cameras, including:
1) Dedicated astronomy camera
2) Modified DSLR
3) Original DSLR
4) Mirrorless camera
5) Smart astronomical telescopes
♦ Mobile phone images are NOT accepted for this competition.
♦Entrants may use either telescopes or camera lenses for imaging, provided the target object is clearly identifiable.
♦ Submission format: JPG or PNG. Each participant may submit a maximum of 3 entries in total (across both categories).
♦ Maximum file size per image: 20MB.
♦ Capture Date Requirement: Images must have been captured on or after 1 September 2024.
♦ Submission Methods and Details
Mode by Email
Images can be submitted as ATTACHMENT by email to [email protected] with the following information:
Headline should name as: Photo Name + Author's Name+ Nationality
E-mail content should include the following information:
- Category of competition
- Your name and your country
- Imaging title and target
- Equipment used and the technical card
- Imaging date and place
- Briefly describe your photo story,
- Digital processing methods employed (if any)
- Your submission image quantities
♦ Each entrant may submit up to three photographs across any category. A single image cannot win more than one prize.
♦ Please mark your name and capture date at the lower-left corner of your image. The text must remain clearly legible when the image is viewed at 100% zoom.
♦ Filters may be used in capturing the image, including LRGB, SHO filters, etc.;
♦ Stacked and panoramic images are permitted;
♦ There are no restrictions on location. Both colour and monochrome digital photos are allowed. Participants may apply post-processing to demonstrate creativity. However, submitted works must represent real celestial objects. Deceptive edits or composite fabrication are forbidden. Source files may be requested for verification if needed;
♦ Copyright remains with the photographer. Optolong reserves the right to use submitted images for non-commercial purposes with proper credit to the photographer. Please do not submit your work if you are unwilling to grant Optolong Optics Limited this right;
♦ Judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding results;
Judging Criteria:
Entries will be assessed based on subject content, object type, target brightness, imaging difficulty, originality, visual aesthetics, image sharpness, noise reduction and other factors.
♦ Winners will be announced on the Optolong website and official social media channels.
Competition Timeline
| No. | Event Level | Time Period |
| 1 | Competition Announcement | October 20, 2026 (Tue) |
| 2 | Submitted Dates | October 20 - December 20, 2026 |
| 3 | Shortlisted Namelist | January 12, 2027 (Sun) |
| 4 | Winners Announcement | January 29, 2027（Fri） |
| 5 | Prizes Delivery | Before March 30, 2027 |
*If no exception occurs, perform the operation as scheduled.
Scoring and Judges
♦ All entries are objectively evaluated and judged by our expert judging panel, who make the final selection for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes. 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 judging panel will consist of Dr.Ron Brecher (Canada), Christoph Lichtblau (Germany), Pete Proulx (US), AstroBackyard (Trevor Jones) (Canada), and Wolfgang Promper (Austria).
♦ All award rankings are determined by the Optolong expert judging panel. Works by panel members are not eligible to join this competition.
How to find your submitted work
Just feel free to click below Google Album to review all submissions. Welcome to “LIKE”, “FORWARD”, ”SHARE”, and “COMMENT”.
DeepSky Category 
SolarSystem Category
Like US on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , YouTube, Wechat, and Weibo public. Thanks for your attention.
Competition entries should be submitted to Optolong([email protected]) before December 20, 2026. Winners will be announced on January 29, 2027.
For further information on the competition and instructions on how to enter, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Submission access via email: [email protected]
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.
-Optolong Team
