Photography of celestial features has brought the wonders of the sky to millions of people and has stirred the imaginations of many. Today, advances in electronic imaging technology have made the field accessible to more amateur astronomers than ever.

This award program recognizes the remarkable work of Astronomical League imagers who answer the challenge of capturing incredible scenes in the heavenly realm. The Astronomical League in partnership with Oceanside Photo and Telescope has created not one, but four award categories:

1. Solar system (such as the moon, sun, planets, and comets)

2. Deep sky (such as open clusters, globular clusters, nebulae, and galaxies)

3. Wide Field (such as constellations, the Milky Way, planetary groupings, aurorae, and meteors)

4. Video/time lapse imaging showing movement in the heavens

Each of the four categories will have a first, second, and third place award. The first place winner will receive a $250 gift certificate from OPT, second place a $125 gift certificate, and third place a $75 gift certificate.

The folks at Oceanside Photo and Telescope, www.optcorp.com, have generously agreed to sponsor this award program because they recognize the value of people taking time to explore and understand what lies above. Thank you, OPT!

If you have a recent image of some facet of the celestial realm that you are proud of, why not complete the entry form for the OPT Imaging Awards Program?