From Red Sprites To Milky Way Marvels, These Winning Shots From Capture The Dark 2025 Are Truly Otherworldly (15 Pics)

AUG 25, 2025

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The night sky came alive in breathtaking ways at this year’s Capture the Dark 2025 contest, organized by DarkSky International, where photographers from around the world revealed phenomena most of us never get to see with the naked eye. From fleeting atmospheric bursts to sweeping galactic panoramas, these winning shots invite us to immerse ourselves in the beauty of the night and answer its urgent call for protection.

What makes this year’s showcase especially striking is its diversity: from mobile snapshots of the Milky Way taken under pristine skies, to months-long exposures of deep-space remnants, and even split-second flashes of elusive red sprites. Together, they paint a powerful picture of just how magical our nights can be when darkness is preserved, and how fragile that magic becomes under the growing threat of light pollution.

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