“Wow. Just wow.” That’s how astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers described a sprite she witnessed from the International Space Station. The mysterious atmospheric phenomena occur above intense thunderstorms and last for just milliseconds, so capturing it with a camera requires immense skill (and a bit of luck).
Photographer JJ Rao managed to document vibrant red sprites above Derby, Australia. Rao’s stunning image (seen below) took first place honors at the Capture the Dark 2025 photography contest. “Well…this happened,” Rao wrote on Instagram of his image. “I’ve read and heard about Red Sprites for a few years now and could have sworn I had seen a couple but it was nothing compared to this monster captured last night which was very naked eye visible, and very red.”
First place | Capture the Dark
“Rare red sprites dancing over the tidal flats of Western Australia. A large sprite like this exists for 10 milliseconds, up to 40x faster than an eye blink. This makes photographing them challenging and requires very dark skies. The central sprite is unusual. It’s known as a ‘jellyfish’ sprite, the largest and fastest of all sprites.”
Credit: JJ Rao / Capture the Dark 2025 JJ Rao
More than 2,220 images from photographers in 22 countries competed in this year’s edition of DarkSky International’s premier nighttime photography contest. Honors were handed out across 11 categories. The judging panel included accomplished astrophotographers who selected the winners based on composition, technical skill, and adherence to DarkSky’s Principles for Responsible Astrophotography.
First place | Young Astrophotographers
“In May, I visited Jizerka, which is located in a dark Bortle 4 zone (and sometimes even reaching Bortle 3). This valley transforms completely after sunset. A few scattered huts, fleeting fog, and a lively yet peaceful atmosphere under the stars made this night unforgettable.”
Credit: Oldřich Špůrek / Capture the Dark 2025
DarkSky International hopes the contest can help raise awareness about the concerning issues triggered by light pollution. “Light pollution continues to grow at an alarming rate—nearly 10% annually worldwide—disrupting critical wildlife ecosystems, threatening community wellness, and dimming our view of the stars,” the company explained in a press release.
To view the full list of winners, visit DarkSky International.
Second place | Visit Tucson Location Award
Credit: Kevin O’Donnell / Capture the Dark 2025
First place | Dark Sky Friendly Lighting and Design
“Paris is known as the “City of Lights,” but after midnight, many iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur are turned off to save energy and reduce light pollution. I took advantage of the darker, less light-polluted sky to capture the Pleiades above the city, from a beautiful viewpoint in Sèvres, just 8 km from the Eiffel Tower.”
Credit: Gwenael Blanck / Capture the Dark 2025
First place | International Dark Sky Places
“The Starlight Highway sign is definitely one of the cooler signs to find on the road, and there is a good reason for it, as you can see! The sign marks the entrance to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve—one of the most significant dark sky reserves on earth.”
Credit: Tom Rae / Capture the Dark 2025
Third place | International Dark Sky Places
Credit: Lucy Yunxi / Capture the Dark 2025
First place | Visit Utah Location Award
“Chasing Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) with these two is one of my favorite memories of 2024. While it makes photography tricky, I love sharing moments under the stars with my children. They patiently waited for me to capture this comet for three consecutive nights. They asked questions, watched the comet through binoculars, and even posed for pictures.”
Credit: Carly Stocks / Capture the Dark 2025 CARLY STOCKS
Second place | People’s Choice Award
Credit: Rodrigo Guerra / Capture the Dark 2025
Second place | Deep Sky Observations
Credit: Rod Prazeres / Capture the Dark 2025
Second place | Visit Utah Location Award
Credit: Michelle Bragg / Capture the Dark 2025
Second place | Mobile Nighttime Photography
Credit: Jilanfeng Dai / Capture the Dark 2025
Second place | Creatures of the Night
Credit: Will Hudson / Capture the Dark 2025
