Ancient Light - Overall Winner of the South Downs Astrophotography Competition 2026
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About the Photo:
Incredibly pleased to announce that I won the South Downs Astro competition for my photo ‘Ancient Light'!
The photo shows the Milky Way above the abandoned barn in Balsdean Valley, north of Saltdean and to the east of Woodingdean, just on the edge of Brighton.
The photo is titled ‘Ancient Light’ as the site has had a long history with roman occupation, as a medieval hamlet, use as accommodation during the Second World War and for farming. All of which have long since come and gone in the time it has taken for the light from the Milky Way above to reach us, which is approximately 26,000 years!
Quotes from the South Downs National Park Judges:
Judges agreed it was a photo that encapsulated the true beauty of the dark skies in the South Downs National Park.
The judging panel for this year’s competition included “Dark Skies” Dan Oakley, a Dark Skies expert and astrophotographer, Vicki Wells, a Member of the National Park Authority who worked on the BBC’s Sky At Night programme and Elinor Newman, who organises the festival and has a specialism in astrophysics.
About the winning photograph, Dan said: “I think this is an incredible and realistic photo of what the South Downs Dark Skies experience is. It’s beautifully framed.”
Vicki added: “For me, this image shows the stunning dark skies with the working South Downs landscape and its heritage, which is many thousands of years old. We had the first farmers 6,000 years ago so it has a lovely story behind it.”
News Features:
There were also mentions on BBC News, The Independent, The Argus and features on Good Morning Britain, ITV Meridian and BBC South Today!
Greatest Hits Radio (Sussex) - Questions and Answers:
1. What inspired you to capture the Milky Way over Balsdean Valley for this photo?
I'm always looking for new landmarks to include in my compositions and I just loved the rustic charm of the abandoned barn in the context of its surrounding and the Milky Way above it, the light of which has taken approximately 26000 years to reach us.
Also, being a photo I'd never seen before made it that bit more exciting, as I'm a big fan of capturing something unique!
2. Can you walk us through the process of taking Ancient Light—how long did it take, and what challenges did you face?
The barn’s location is quite remote so it required a fairly long hike of almost an hour down into the valley carrying a lot of heavy equipment. It did however mean it was an excellent secluded location for astrophotography.
Interestingly, the photo I submitted was actually the last composition I decided to take just before I left. I'd previously been focussing on close-ups of the barn, but preferred the wider angle revealing the surroundings.
3. How does it feel to have your photo chosen as the winner among more than 130 entries?
It took me by complete surprise when I received the email saying I'd won!
This is the 5th year I've entered this competition and in the past I've been highly-commended, runner-up and won the people's choice award - so to finally be the overall winner is an incredible feeling.
It's also extra special being a location in the South Downs National Park where I've walked many times for its beautiful local scenery.
4. What drew you to astrophotography in the first place, and what keeps you passionate about it?
My first experience of astrophotography was joining a local meetup where we were shown the basics of taking photos of the Milky Way with the opportunity to put it into practice. From the moment I saw the star filled images on the back of my camera screen I knew I was hooked.
Even now there are always new things to learn, night sky objects to capture and experiences to be had. For instance, the first time I saw the colours of the aurora appear on the back of my camera at the start of 2023 just outside of Brighton was an incredible moment I won't forget. Every experience is different as well - from the fleeting appearance of a comet to the moonrise aligning with a local landmark.
Trees of Life - Highly Commended in the South Downs Astrophotography Competition 2026
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About the Photo:
Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) above a picturesque row of trees on top of a wooded bank found at East Brighton Golf Course between East Brighton Nature Reserve and Wick Bottom, Woodingdean.
Comets are left over remnants from the birth of our solar system - it is thought that they may have brought water and organic compounds to Earth creating life. I love the interconnectedness between this theory about comets and the trees below which continue to sustain life on our planet.
News Feature:
⭐️ BRIGHTON CALENDAR 2027 - NIGHT AND DAY⭐️
Including photos of the 2026 Solar Eclipse - plus Huge Moons, the Northern Lights, the Milky Way, Comet Lemmon and Starling Murmurations! (click to see the photos!)
⭐️ CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BRIGHTON CALENDAR 2027
+ more info and photos!!⭐️
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Hope you enjoyed reading about my winning photo in South Downs National Park Astrophotography Competition - feel free to leave a comment if you liked it! 😊
Many thanks,
Michael ✨