"Incredible and realistic image" of South Downs Dark Skies wins renowned astrophotography competition

A serene rural landscape at night with an old barn on grassy fields under a starry sky. The Milky Way glows brightly, enhancing the tranquil mood — "I think this is an incredible and realistic photo of what the South Downs Dark Skies experience is. It's beautifully framed," says judge Dan Oakley, a Dark Skies expert and astrophotographer (Image credit: Michael Steven Harris)

Photographer Michael Steven Harris is the Overall Winner of the South Downs National Park’s astrophotography competition. He stunned the judges with the astro image Ancient Light.

The awarded photo shows the expansive Milky Way above an abandoned barn in the Balsdean Valley near Brighton in the UK.

The Judges descibed it as "a photo that encapsulated the true beauty of the dark skies in the South Downs National Park."

"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," adds Vicki Wells, a Member of the National Park Authority who worked on the BBC's Sky At Night programme.

And it wasn't the first time Harris' work was recognized – his image Milky Way over the West Pier won the People's Choice Award at the British Photography Awards 2025.

'Ancient Light'

Photographer Harris explains, "The abandoned barn is located to the north of Saltdean and east of Woodingdean in Balsdean Valley on the site of what was once a hamlet.

"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!"

South Downs National Park's astrophotography competition

The South Downs National Park celebrates its 10th anniversary as an International Dark Sky Reserve – one of only 25 in the world and a paradise for stargazers.

The astrophotography winners are being announced as the National Park's Dark Skies Festival kicks off this week, with an action-packed line-up of space-related fun.

The winning and highly commended images will be displayed during the festival, with selected entries submitted for a People's Choice vote. For more info, visit the South Downs website.

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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, Kim explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture. Through her features, tutorials, and gear reviews, she aims to encourage readers to explore the medium more deeply and embrace its full creative potential.

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