ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2027
Hosted by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and sponsored by ZWO, Astronomy Photographer of the Year is the world's largest astrophotography competition. The 2026 winners were revealed at an online ceremony on 17 September 2026: Ali Alobaidly from Kuwait took the GBP 10,000 top prize with The Quiet Predator, an image of the Shark Nebula, chosen from almost 4,000 entries. The 2027 competition is expected to open in January, following last year's calendar, which ran from 5 January to 2 March. The rules declare generative imagery and AI art ineligible and exclude AI-generated data even from the experimental Annie Maunder Open Category, one of the strictest published standards in specialty photography.
- Deadline
- —
- Entry fee
- 2027 fee not yet published; in 2026 GBP 10 for adult entries, Young Competition and special-prize-only entries free; top prize GBP 10,000
Authenticity policy
AI policy
Generative imagery and ‘AI Art’ are not eligible for submission.
RAW files
Not specified
Editing rules
The current rules (2026 edition, still the published version) state that generative imagery and AI art are not eligible: images must consist of genuine astronomical data captured by observation, and adding weather effects, targets or any other data generated by an AI network is forbidden. Machine-learning tools that add no data (star removal, noise reduction and similar) are permitted but must be declared, and undeclared use can lead to disqualification. Even the Annie Maunder Open Category, which allows any processing, bars AI-generated or artificial data. RAW files are not mentioned. Rules for the 2027 competition are not yet published.
Verified on November 7, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Does ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2027 allow AI-generated images?
- No. ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2027 does not permit AI-generated images in its competition entries.
- How much does it cost to enter ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2027?
- 2027 fee not yet published; in 2026 GBP 10 for adult entries, Young Competition and special-prize-only entries free; top prize GBP 10,000
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