Conditions of Entry

Astrophotography Competition Guidelines

Entries close: 31st October 2021 at Midnight (AEST)

Awards Presentation

Depending on COVID restrictions the awards presentation will be held in Coonabarabran on Saturday 27th November, 2021.

To submit entries to the Capture the Cosmos Astrophotography Competition entrants must:

Cost to enter:

Adult fees: 1 Category $15, 2 Categories $30, 3-4 Categories $45 
Youth Fees (18 years and under): – 1 Category $6, 2 Categories $10, 3 – 4 Categories $15

The competition is open to any photographer (professional or amateur) including adults, students and young people who have taken their own photographs between the period: 1st August 2020 to 31st October 2021. Entrants may submit a maximum TWO entries per category:

The four categories are:

1. Warrumbungle Nightscape Widefield  – Any nightscape taken within the Warrumbungle Shire/Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park.

2. Night Sky Widefield – Open to all locations in the world using any photographic equipment to capture the night sky.

3. Open Deep Space – Deep space objects captured through a telescope.(Photographer must have personally gathered the data)

4. Smartphone Warrumbungle Iconic Astrophotography – Widefield or Solar System image taken with a smartphone including an identifiable feature of Warrumbungle Shire/Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park.

People’s Choice Award – Determined at each ‘Capture the Cosmos – Under the Warrumbungle Sky’ exhibition.

Further competition details will be available on our website https://cosmos.myphotoclub.com.au

How to enter

1. Read the ‘Capture the Cosmos – Under the Warrumbungle Sky’ official terms and conditions and complete the entry form. If submitting the digital word documents to us, please make sure you save it first before sending it, to avoid data loss.

2. Prepare your submission (up to two entries per person, per category).  Photo format is to be JPEG, between 2 and 5MB per file, (A maximum of 2000px on the longest side). sRGB colour space

3. Online entry via https://cosmos.myphotoclub.com.au

Winners will be contacted for a higher resolution image for printing purposes for the exhibition. Along with a paragraph description of how, where and when the photograph was taken.

Entrant retains all copyright of their own images. Limited copyright for promotional purposes is granted to the competition and exhibitions, now and in the future for promotional purposes only.

Exhibition entries may be selected for exhibition at associated events in NSW. We will always credit your images and you retain copyright of your original work. (As per clause 6.1, entrants grant permission for associated publication / media / online usage).

Terms and Conditions

  • Entries can be colour, black and white, monochrome or false colour.
  • Photo format is to be  JPEG, between 2 and 5MB per file, (A maximum of 2000px on the longest side). sRGB colour space.
  • Copyright of entries is retained by the copyright holder (the entrant)
  • By entering the competition, the entrant grants permission to publicly exhibit and promote your entries, which are selected for the exhibition, for competition promotion and online and print media purposes, and possibly for related exhibitions, publications and events as determined by the competition committee.
  • Entries are open to everyone including adults, students and young people, professional and non-professional astronomers and photographers.
  • Photos must be taken within the last 12 months prior to the competition entry closure date.
  • The images for categories 1 & 4 must have been taken from within the Warrumbungle Shire or Warrumbungle Dark Sky Park. (See Map of these jurisdictions – Warrumbungle National Park and Warrumbungle Shire Council)
  • Entries are selected  by an expert judge according to their aesthetic and/or scientific merit.
  • None, some or all entries from an entrant may be chosen for exhibition.
  • Awards are at the discretion of the judges and their decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding this outcome.
  • No entry that has been submitted to any other competition is allowed.
  • Any entry considered by Capture the Cosmos to be unsuitable for the exhibition, for any reason, will not be accepted.
  • The organisers reserve the right to modify, delete or add awards, prizes and commendation certificates at any time.
  • Entrants whose entries are exhibited will be notified prior to the Capture the Cosmos.
  • Entrants may be requested to supply higher resolution versions of their submission, if required.
  • The entrant warrants that their entry does not breach any third party rights, that they have obtained any necessary permissions (including recognisable individuals featured in photos), and that photos were lawfully obtained.)
  • The entrant agrees to indemnify ‘Capture the Cosmos – under the Warrumbungle sky’ competition and its agents, against any claim or dispute whatsoever, which may arise regarding the competition, exhibition or use of their submission.
  • Receipt of each submission is acknowledged via email, usually within 24 hours of online submission. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement, please contact the organiser.
  • Digital Imaging / computer enhancement – The original image must be made by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired with a digital imaging camera or other digital imaging device. Any modification of the original image must be made by the entrant. Digital processing and editing is acceptable, however, the entrant must disclose and briefly describe any digital image enhancement or modification. The original unedited raw file to be available if requested by the organiser .  
  • Entries selected for exhibition may be exhibited by  hard copy print format and mounted on professional matting only.  Exhibition locations will be advertised on https://cosmos.myphotoclub.com.au