
“2025 Dark Capture Photo Contest Victors: Uncommon Red Sprites and Luminescent Scorpions”
“The Watchers” by JJ Rao. First place, Capture the Dark
Location: Derby, Australia
“Uncommon red sprites waltzing above the tidal flats of Western Australia. A sizable sprite such as this appears for merely 10 milliseconds, up to 40 times quicker than a blink. This presents a challenge for photographers and necessitates very dark skies. The central sprite is distinctive. It’s referred to as a ‘jellyfish’ sprite, the largest and swiftest of all sprites.”
Light pollution is an actual issue, escalating at a rate of 10% annually according to the non-profit DarkSky International. These lights not only obscure our view of the night sky but also disrupt wildlife and negatively impact well-being. This is where the winners of the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest play a role. By showcasing the splendor of the sky when artificial lights are absent, DarkSky aims to promote awareness regarding the adverse effects of light pollution.
Now in its fifth year, the contest received 2,284 entries from over 22 nations, highlighting everything from the Milky Way and comets to bioluminescent wildlife and crescent moons. An expert panel evaluated photographers based on their composition, technical abilities, and compliance with DarkSky’s Principles for Responsible Astrophotography.
“Capture the Dark has emerged as a crucial initiative in fostering awareness, leveraging the power of photography to depict not just the marvels of the night but also the effects of light pollution through various contest categories,” stated the organization. “The outcome is more than just a collection of captivating images—it is a clarion call to safeguard the night.”
Notable mentions include JJ Rao’s photograph of rare red sprites in Western Australia, which clinched the Capture the Dark category. This phenomenon presents technical difficulties as it endures for only a few milliseconds and demands complete darkness. In the Creatures of the Night category, Oscar Leonardo Chavez Torres impressed the judges with his depiction of a scorpion in Mexico as it stalked its prey in the desert.
Alongside the awarded categories, the audience had the opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice Award, won by a 12-year-old space lover and aspiring astronaut. Siddharth Patel employed his mom’s phone to capture the winning image, which displays a comet soaring through the sky in Ontario, Canada.
Scroll down to discover even more winners from the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest and visit the DarkSky website for the full winners’ gallery.
Here are the winners of the 2025 Capture the Dark photo contest.
“A Gateway to the Universe” by Sadeq Hayati. First place, Mobile Nighttime Photography
Location: Raufarhöfn, Iceland
“On my recent trip to Iceland, we traced the northern lights. A massive aurora storm occurred, and I decided to document it with my phone for the first time! It was fascinating that, with a small device in my palm, I could observe the beauty unfolding in the sky with greater clarity and beauty.”
“Scorpion and Scorpio” by Oscar Leonardo Chavez Torres. First place, Creatures of the Night
Location: Hermosillo, Sonora, México
“Scorpions utilize darkness to hunt in the desert; these creatures prosper in the dark nights of the desert, and even the moonlight can suffice to diminish their activity.”
“Milky Way with Comet C/2023 A3” by Siddharth Patel. Winner, People’s Choice
Location: Fingal, Ontario, Canada
“I captured this photo with my mother’s Samsung S21. I had to leave the urban area since the comet was entirely invisible, so I persuaded my family to accompany me on a drive. Under the darker skies of Fingal, both the comet and the Milky Way became visible to the naked eye, and experiencing them together was astonishing.”
“Starlight Highway” by Tom Rae. First place, International Dark Sky Places
Location: Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, Canterbury, New Zealand
“The Starlight Highway sign is certainly one of the more impressive signs to encounter on the road, and there exists a compelling reason for it, as evidenced here! The sign indicates the entrance to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve—one of the most important dark sky reserves on the planet.”
The competition is organized by DarkSky International, a non-profit dedicated to safeguarding the night sky.
“Paris, Asleep In The Pre-Dawn Hours” by Gwenael Blanck. First place, Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design
Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France
“Paris is famously known as the ‘City of Lights,’ yet after midnight, many iconic structures such as the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur are shut off to conserve energy and mitigate light pollution. I seized the opportunity of the darker, less light-polluted sky to photograph the Pleiades above the city