Our showcase of finalists from the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year Awards 17

From colliding galaxies to supermassive black holes, we take a look at some of the strangest sights in the universe

I looked out of the window before bed while on holiday in Orkney in mid-August and was delighted to see my first-ever noctilucent cloud display! The reflections in the still waters of the Bay of Firth

From strange lights in the sky to rocks that spontaneously glide across the ground, the mysteries scientists are trying to finally crack

GLOBAL EYE

Julie Oldfield harnesses flame and forces of nature to create works of art on copper canvases ablaze with storm clouds and sunlight