One of the biggest international competition Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year is showcasing every year incredible images captured by astrophotographers worldwide. The competition is now in its eighth year and a record number of more than 4500 entries were received from astrophotographers in over 80 countries.

The Baily’s Beads – work of Chinese photographer Yu Jun has won in both categories Our Sun and overall award, Insight Astronomy Photographer of the year 2016. Baily’s beads come from the specks of light that appear around the Moon during a total eclipse of the Sun, a phenomenon first explained by 19th Century astronomer Francis Baily.

Photograph: Yu Jun

Here are other winning images from this year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year.

Photograph: Catalin Beldea and Alson Wong

Photograph: Ainsley Bennett

Photographer: Gyorgy Soponyai

Photograph: Kolbein Svensson

Photograph: Jordi Delpeix Borrell

Photograph: Damian Peach

Photograph: Dani Caxete

Photograph: Pavel Pech

Photograph: Gerald Rhemann

Photograph: Nicolas Outters

Photograph: Brendan Devine

Photograph: Carlos Fairbairn

source:theguardian