The Category Winners of the 2026 CWAS "David Malin Awards"
The Category Winners
Judged by Peter Ward, Alex Cherney, and Selena Simpson
Photo Editor's Choice judged by Nicola Amoros
Photo Editor's Choice judged by Nicola Amoros
OVERALL WINNER
Stefan Buda
"The Lunar Apennines"
Winner: Solar System
"The Lunar Apennines"
Winner: Solar System
Citation: "This stunning image of the lunar Apennine mountain region seems to have been acquired not from the Earth, but from lunar orbit. Hadley Rille, the site of the Apollo 15 landing, is shown in razor sharp relief. The image is deftly processed showing a wealth of subtle grey shading in the terrain: it is simply flawless.”
Jarrod Koh
"The Dividing Line"
Winner: Wide-Field
"The Dividing Line"
Winner: Wide-Field
Citation: “This image offers a deeply textured view of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. Achieving extraordinary depth, the composition balances thick molecular dust against this luminous backdrop, where the dark silhouette of LDN 1622 and the subtle blue glow of M78 serve as delicate points of contrast. Jarrod’s 17-hour integration ultimately yields a highly compelling and immersive widefield perspective.”
Andy Campbell
"The Rippling Flames - Chamaeleon III"
Winner: Deep Sky
"The Rippling Flames - Chamaeleon III"
Winner: Deep Sky
Citation: “The excellent image draws the viewer in for closer inspection. Beautifully rendered stars with accurate, delightful and natural colour variation provide a jewel like “glitter” to the dark yet deftly revealed Chamaeleon molecular cloud. The two-frame mosaic is flawlessly and precisely framed.”
Brighton Seeley
"Zenith"
Winner: Nightscapes (International)
"Zenith"
Winner: Nightscapes (International)
Citation: “A masterfully executed 8-panel mosaic capturing a rare, highly geomagnetic storm. From a remote, isolated vantage point, the photographer captured a once-in-a-lifetime display of the Aurora Australis, with vibrant red and green light stretching to the zenith – a testament to both artistic persistence and the immense scale of the Southern Lights.”
Charlie Marzolla
"The Boogeyman Nebula"
Winner: Junior
"The Boogeyman Nebula"
Winner: Junior
Citation: "Framing the dark, obscuring dust of LDN 1622 against the glowing Ha emissions of the Orion Cloud Complex, the photographer demonstrates strong processing fundamentals, yielding good star color and well-defined H-alpha regions. Although a slightly dark overall stretch hides some of the intricate dust structures captured during the 28-hour integration, the rendition of the visible dust is highly effective.”
Frank Alvaro
"A Dragon's Egg in a Gossamer Cocoon"
Winner: Photo Editor's Choice
"A Dragon's Egg in a Gossamer Cocoon"
Winner: Photo Editor's Choice
Citation: “This is a photograph that rewards the viewer the longer they spend with it. The visual layering, striking composition and extraordinary use of colour create a sense of depth that draws you into the frame. The opposing hues of pink and blue work beautifully together, while the luminous central structure acts as an anchor, pulling the eye ever deeper into the image.”