From the wild Atlantic edge of Renvyle, a photographer has turned a moonlit beach into a meditation on the cosmos, winning Ireland's premier astrophotography award with an image that finds the universe reflected in wet sand. Ekaterina Moskovskova's 'As Above, So Below' — capturing two figures beneath the aurora borealis, sky and earth mirrored in perfect symmetry — claimed gold at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies' Reach for the Stars competition. The award is a reminder that some of the most profound encounters with the infinite happen not in observatories, but at the shoreline, where
Renvyle photographer wins national astrophotography award for aurora image
A striking mirror between earth and sky
Mark
What draws a photographer to the night sky? Is it just technical challenge, or something else?
Mimi
In Moskovskova's case, it seems to be both. The technical skill is there—capturing that perfect reflection in wet sand requires patience and precision. But the choice to photograph a couple on a beach, to make it human and intimate rather than purely astronomical, suggests she's after something deeper. The aurora becomes a frame for a moment between two people.
Luke
We don't actually know her intent from the source material. We know what the image shows and what the judges said about it. We shouldn't assume her motivation.
Mimi
Fair point. What we can say is that the image itself bridges two worlds—the cosmic and the personal. That's what caught the judges' attention.
Mark
How competitive is this award? How many entries typically come in?
Luke
The source doesn't say. We know there's an expert panel and there are shortlisted images, but we don't have numbers on submissions or how many photographers entered.
Mimi
That's a real gap. It would help us understand whether this is a prestigious win or a smaller regional thing.
Mark
And Mackie's Bubble Nebula image—is that a photograph of the actual nebula, or a composite?
Luke
The source just says it "captured" the Bubble Nebula. It doesn't specify the technique. Could be a telescope image, could be processed data. We don't know.
Mimi
What we do know is that it's ten thousand light-years away, which is genuinely distant. The fact that both winners are from Galway is interesting—suggests something about the region's astronomy culture or access to dark skies.
Mark
Will these images be available to see?
Mimi
Yes. After the ceremony in Dublin, there's a public exhibition. So people can actually go see them, not just read about them.
The Pulse
- A single image of two people on a Connaught beach, the Northern Lights blazing above and reflected below, has beaten national competition to claim Ireland's top astrophotography honour.
- The Reach for the Stars contest draws photographers chasing ancient monuments, distant nebulae, and dancing auroras — the competition for the night sky's most arresting moments is fierce.
- A second Galway voice earned recognition: Athenry's David Mackie was commended for photographing the Bubble Nebula, a glowing gas shell ten thousand light-years from Earth.
- Judges drawn from the Irish Times, the Irish Astronomical Society, and DIAS praised not just technical mastery but a collective reverence for the natural world above.
- The winning images will move from screen to exhibition hall, giving the public a chance to stand before the scale and detail of Ireland's night skies in person at DIAS in Dublin.
From the wild Atlantic edge of Renvyle, a photographer has turned a moonlit beach into a meditation on the cosmos, winning Ireland's premier astrophotography award with an image that finds the universe reflected in wet sand. Ekaterina Moskovskova's 'As Above, So Below' — capturing two figures beneath the aurora borealis, sky and earth mirrored in perfect symmetry — claimed gold at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies' Reach for the Stars competition. The award is a reminder that some of the most profound encounters with the infinite happen not in observatories, but at the shoreline, where the heavens pool quietly at our feet.
Ekaterina Moskovskova, based in Renvyle on Connemara's Atlantic fringe, has taken gold in the 'Night Sky in Your Hand' category at this year's Reach for the Stars competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Her winning photograph, 'As Above, So Below', shows a couple on a moonlit beach beneath the aurora borealis — its light, and the stars above, mirrored with quiet precision in the wet sand below them. Judges described the composition as a striking symmetry between earth and sky, a visual dialogue between the ground and the cosmos.
The Reach for the Stars Awards have grown into a national showcase for Ireland's astrophotographers, drawing submissions ranging from ancient monuments silhouetted against constellations to the vivid colours of distant galaxies. This year's judging panel included the Visual Editor of the Irish Times, the President of the Irish Astronomical Society, a senior DIAS professor, and scientist and communicator Dr Niamh Shaw.
Galway claimed a second honour: David Mackie from Athenry received a runner-up commendation in the Out of this World category for 'A Bubble in Outer Space', documenting the Bubble Nebula — a glowing shell of gas roughly ten thousand light-years away. DIAS CEO Dr Eucharia Meehan reflected that each year the competition offers a fresh lens on Ireland's night skies, revealing both technical mastery and a genuine curiosity about the world above.
The winning photographers will be formally recognised at a ceremony at DIAS headquarters on Burlington Road in Dublin in the coming weeks, after which the images will be exhibited publicly — inviting visitors to encounter the scale and intimacy of Ireland's night sky photography face to face.
Ekaterina Moskovskova, a photographer based in Renvyle, has won the gold award in the 'Night Sky in Your Hand' category at this year's Reach for the Stars competition, a national astrophotography contest run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Her winning image, titled As Above, So Below, shows a couple standing together on a moonlit beach while the aurora borealis glows overhead. What makes the photograph remarkable is its composition: the Northern Lights and stars are mirrored perfectly in the wet sand below them, creating what the judges called a striking symmetry between earth and sky—a visual conversation between the ground beneath their feet and the cosmos above.
The Reach for the Stars Awards have become a showcase for Ireland's night sky photographers, drawing submissions that range from intimate terrestrial scenes framed by stars to distant astronomical phenomena. This year's competition drew entries capturing everything from ancient monuments silhouetted against constellations to the vivid colours of the aurora and distant galaxies. The judging panel included Dan Dennison, Visual Editor of the Irish Times; Dr Donncha O'Driscoll, President of the Irish Astronomical Society; Professor Peter Gallagher, Senior Professor and Head of Astronomy and Astrophysics at DIAS; and Dr Niamh Shaw, a scientist and engineer known for her work in science communication.
Another Galway photographer also earned recognition in the awards. David Mackie from Athenry received a runner-up commendation in the Out of this World category for his image A Bubble in Outer Space, which documents the Bubble Nebula—a glowing shell of gas situated roughly ten thousand light-years away from Earth. The inclusion of two Galway-based photographers among the competition's honoured entries reflects the region's growing engagement with astrophotography.
Dr Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS, reflected on what the competition reveals about both technical skill and artistic vision. She noted that each year, Reach for the Stars offers a fresh lens on Ireland's night skies, and this year's submissions demonstrated not only mastery of the craft but also genuine curiosity and reverence for the natural world above. The photographs, she said, transport viewers to a universe that is simultaneously vast and intimate—whether through the lens of ancient stone circles beneath stars, the dancing colours of the aurora, or galaxies that exist almost incomprehensibly far away.
The winning photographers will be formally recognised at an awards ceremony at DIAS headquarters on Burlington Road in Dublin 4 in the coming weeks. Following the ceremony, the winning images and a selection of shortlisted photographs will be exhibited publicly, giving the public an opportunity to encounter some of Ireland's most striking night sky photography in person. The exhibition will allow visitors to engage directly with the work—to stand in front of these images and experience the scale and detail that a screen cannot fully convey.
Notable Quotes
The photographs submitted this year showcase not only incredible technical skill but also creativity, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the natural wonder above us.— Dr Eucharia Meehan, CEO and Registrar of DIAS
Want the full story?
Read the original at Galway Bay FM ↗
Energy