Cork-based photographer Richard Sweeney has nabbed a prestigious prize in the 2022 Reach for the Stars astrophotography competition, run by the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

The Ladysbridge man was awarded the runner up prize, in the ‘Out of This World’ category, for his image ‘The Jewel of Orion’, depicting the Orion Nebula which is about 1,350 lightyears away. It is a stellar nursery where new stars are born, and it is mostly made up of hydrogen and dust.

This image, along with another entry from Richard called ‘Cone Nebula’, which captures the Cone Nebula about 2,700 lightyears away from Earth, will be showcased in an outdoor exhibition at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies premises from Friday, August 12.

The exhibition will hang at the railings of the premises at 10 Burlington Rd, Dublin, and is free to attend.

The winners were selected by a judging panel following a rigorous judging process of over 180 entries.

John Flannery, vice president of the Irish Astronomical Society and a member of the judging panel, said: “Much hard work has been put into composing and taking the wide range of entries covering nightscapes and other celestial sights, but all capture the essence of amateur astronomy — a shared appreciation for the beauty of the universe.”

Echoing John’s comments, Brenda Fitzsimons, Picture Editor, The Irish Times, said: “From glistening galaxies to tranquil landscapes, the combination of science and serene captured in these breath-taking images were a pleasure to judge.”