The Covid Diaries 16: National Maritime Museum, Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2019 (last chance to see)

A visit to the National Maritime Museum to see the highlights of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. In which I learned a bit more about the universe, and thought that this is really not a hobby many children can take up unless their parents are already into it.

Back to the (Barely Open) National Maritime Museum

This is the second time I’ve been to this annual exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. It is however the first time that it has been the only thing open at said museum. Royal Museums Greenwich manage a number of properties including the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, Queen’s House Gallery (not to be confused with the Queen’s Gallery), and of course the National Maritime Museum, and have begun reopening what they can. I’m interested in the decision to reopen the Cutty Sark before the Maritime Museum. Surely it’s easier to maintain social distancing in a large building than on a boat? But they must have their reasons.

What they have reopened at the Maritime Museum is their annual temporary exhibition, Astronomy Photographer of the Year. I see this as a first foray: getting some money flowing through again and trying out Covid-19 measures. It’s probably also a result of their heavy involvement in the competition which has its own external sponsors (as well as entrants and enthusiasts), who would likely have been disappointed had it not gone ahead. So there are many guides on hand to ensure you correctly navigate the one way system and get to the exhibition space, while the rest of the building awaits reopening on 7 September.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year

As for the exhibition itself, it’s an interesting one. First of all, astronomy is not a hobby of mine, so I have learned from this competition. The sections reflect the different prizes available; Aurorae, Our Moon, Galaxies, People and Space, Stars and Nebulae, Best Newcomer, and Young Photographers. The photographs are displayed in individual light boxes, and the ones that are exhibited are those which were highly commended or shortlisted, as well as the runners up and winners. Each photograph is accompanied by a text from the photographer explaining their process or thoughts as well as technical specifications. And some also have a paragraph from a judge explaining the merits of it or why it won.

All of this means there is a wealth of information to take in. So it’s a good job it’s quite a small exhibition. At the same time it’s fascinating to understand more about the journeys undertaken. The cold nights waiting for a perfect shot for one. And the celestial phenomenon that have happened in the last year or so without me ever being aware of them.

Or Astronomy Composite Image of the Year?

What you realise over the course of the exhibition is that this is not photography as we typically understand it. In fact, very few of these images exist in the sense that we can go to the top of that mountain and see that view, or look through a telescope and see that group of galaxies.

Instead, they are, for the most part, clever technical composites. For example many different images layered over each other to give a crisp view of Venus; images taken with some sort of hydrogen or colour filter to make the raw data more meaningful; or a landscape at one time of day can be combined with a later shot of the sky. They make the skies above us seem more beautiful, more comprehensible and more – dare I say it, interesting – than they are to the naked eye. It really helps to transmit some of the passion of the photographers who compete with each other for the prizes.

So this is a short Covid Diaries entry but all in all it’s a very straightforward affair. Astronomy Photographer of the Year does what it says on the tin: it’s a quick and interesting exhibition, and quite a good way for the National Maritime Museum to get used to opening its doors again with coronavirus measures in place without the school holiday which would normally be in full swing at this time of year.

On its own merits: 3/5
Implementing Covid Rules: 4/5

Astronomy Photographer of the Year until 13 September