This is the best astro photography in the world

'Deadvlei' by Stefan Liebermann from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Stefan Liebermann)

Astro photography is one of the hardest – and most beautiful – genres of photography. Perfectly balancing the light in your sky and foreground is a tough skill to master, but when it's done right it creates incredible ethereal photos. The travel and photography blog Capture the Atlas has recently released its latest installment of the 'Milky Way Photographer of the Year' astro photography compilation – and these photographers have clearly mastered their art.

The 'Milky Way Photographer of the Year' is an annual collection of 25 images that showcases some of the best astro photography from around the world. While other competitions will crown winners and award prizes, this contest is all about celebrating the 25 best Milky Way photos this year.

• Read more: Best camera for astro photography

With stunning landscapes ranging from the American Wild West to the vast vistas of Antartica, this astro photography has captured the very best views of the Milky Way. Capture the Atlas says: "Photographing the Milky Way is one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences. It requires great planning, and there are always a few technical things to consider. However, seeing the galaxy captured on the screen of your camera is an excitement that is difficult to describe…

"To help you find inspiration for planning and executing your Milky Way shots, we've gathered the best Milky Way images taken around the world, as we do every year."

See some of our favorite astro photography shots below, or visit the Capture the Atlas Milky Way Photographer of the Year blog post to see all of the images.

'Oregon Nights' by Chane Allred from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Chane Allred)

'Winter Milky Way' by Dr. Nicholas Roemmelt from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Dr. Nicholas Roemmelt)

'Milky Way over Parque Nacional del Teide' by Mehmet Ergün from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Mehmet Ergün)

'Heavenly Throne' by Ryan Smith from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Ryan Smith)

'Elemental' by Miles Morgan from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Miles Morgan)

'Alien Eggs' by Debbie Heyer from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Debbie Heyer)

'A Night at the Caves' by Sam Sciluna from Milky Way Photographer of the Year (Image credit: Sam Sciluna)

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With over a decade of photographic experience, Louise arms Digital Camera World with a wealth of knowledge on photographic technique and know-how – something at which she is so adept that she's delivered workshops for the likes of ITV and Sue Ryder. Louise also brings years of experience as both a web and print journalist, having served as features editor for Practical Photography magazine and contributing photography tutorials and camera analysis to titles including Digital Camera Magazine and Digital Photographer. Louise currently shoots with the Fujifilm X-T200 and the Nikon D800, capturing self-portraits and still life images, and is DCW's ecommerce editor, meaning that she knows good camera, lens and laptop deals when she sees them.