DarkSky International names winners of 2026 Capture the Dark contest

DarkSky International announced the winners of its 2026 Capture the Dark global photography contest on Aug. 13 in Tucson, Arizona. The record-setting competition drew 2,288 images from more than 30 countries and underscored the rising impact of light pollution on people, wildlife and dark skies.

Why it matters: - Capture the Dark 2026 is a snapshot of a growing global concern: light pollution. - The contest drew record participation, showing broad interest in night photography and dark-sky conservation. - The winning images are meant to celebrate the night while showing what artificial light is changing or erasing.

What happened: - DarkSky International announced the winners of Capture the Dark 2026 on Aug. 13, 2026. - The contest received 2,288 submissions from more than 30 countries. - The competition is in its sixth year. - The contest recognizes work across nighttime photography categories, from astrophotography to wildlife and lighting design.

The details: - First-place winners included Paul Wilson in Nightscapes for Razorback. - Dennis Lehtonen won Nighttime Adventures for Aurora over the Prince Christian Sound. - Tom Rae won Creatures of the Night for The Chasm. - Kathryn Lawman won International Dark Sky Places for Window to Orio. - Ross Steensland won Quality Lighting and Design for Little Mt Hoffman. - Kouyu Wang won The Impact of Light Pollution for Artifical Comet. - Julien De Winter won Deep Sky Observations for The Dementors of Cepheus (LBN 528 & LBN 532), Wardens of a Dead Star (SNR G110.3+11.3). - Norah Swann won Young Astrophotographers for River of Light. - Enrique Barquet won Mobile Nighttime Photography for Aurora Over Mount Shuksan. - Ethan Keller won the People’s Choice Award for The Great Bear and the Rainbow Bridge La Grande Ourse et le pont arc-en-ciel. - DarkSky International said the contest promotes responsible nighttime and astrophotography under its Principles for Responsible Astrophotography. - The organization said the contest gallery includes second- and third-place winners as well. - DarkSky International said the full winners gallery is available online as the Capture the Dark 2026 winners gallery. - DarkSky International said the contest also included support from event sponsors Star Trek 60, Under Canvas, Celestron, Visit Tucson and Visit Utah, plus prize sponsors Sky View Tents, Lensbaby, Oberwerk, Vaonis, GoPro, PhotoPills, Move Shoot Move and LRTimelapse.

Between the lines: - The contest is functioning as both an arts competition and a conservation campaign. - The record number of entries suggests the issue has moved beyond a niche audience inside the dark-sky movement. - DarkSky International is using photography to translate an environmental problem into visuals that are easy to share and harder to ignore. - Light pollution is growing globally at an estimated rate of nearly 10% a year, a trend that affects wildlife, human health and access to star-filled skies.

What's next: - DarkSky International will continue using advocacy, education, conservation and outdoor-lighting programs to slow light pollution. - The organization is expected to keep using Capture the Dark as a public-facing platform for dark-sky awareness. - Readers can view the winning images and the rest of the collection in the online gallery linked above.

The bottom line: - The 2026 contest turned a photography competition into a global warning about the cost of losing darkness.