And the Winner of the StAnd Image Competition is…

The winners of the StAnD Image Competition are:

Zoé Fontaine-Casal (16) from the Lycée Louis Armand, Eaubonne, France
Anna Lotta Rinkleib (16), Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany
Cheyenne Landsberg (17), Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany

Zoé said “I chose to work on IC 2177, also known as the Seagull Nebula, because this image captures the beauty and mystery of space as well as the birth of a star. I found it interesting to show how light and gas clouds can create a scene that is almost unreal, yet actually exists in the universe. To edit this image, I used the SketchBook app by layering several images and space-themed textures on different layers. This technique allowed me to add more depth to the nebula and enhance the light effects around the forming star. Then, using the tools in the Photos app, I adjusted several settings, including the image’s brightness, contrast, and sharpness.

I emphasized the blue and orange hues to highlight the gas clouds and the energy released by the star’s birth. The combination of layers and photo editing allowed me to achieve a fairly realistic look. The final result captures the immersive cosmic atmosphere and highlights the power and beauty of star formation in IC2177.”

The three winning images will be included in the StAnD 2027 Calendar, presented at the COSPAR 46th Scientific Assembly in Florence, 1-9 August 2026.

The three winning images

IC2177 by Zoé Fontaine-Casal. The final result captures the immersive cosmic atmosphere and highlights the power and beauty of star formation in IC2177.

M104, by Anna Lotta Rinkleib. Messier 104 is a galaxy we view almost from the side, giving it the appearance of a wide hat with a dark ring of thick, cold gas and space dust circling the bright center. This dark lane blocks the light from the stars behind it, marking the special area inside the galaxy where billions of new stars were being born.

M16 by Cheyenne Landsberg. This mostly red picture shows a famous part of Messier 16, known as the Pillars of Creation. These giant columns of dust reach out like fingers of a claw towards a rich cluster of bright stars.

The best remaining 10 images will be featured in the calendar and distributed to participating schools:

4. NGC2237, Pia Mentrup, Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany
5. M27, Amelie Wunnicke, Schillergymnasium Münster, Germany
6. NGC1365, Conner Streich, Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany
7. NGC1532, Amelie Wunnicke, Schillergymnasium Münster, Germany
8. NGC4945, Gino Webers, Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany
9. Messier 8, Eduarda Inácio and Beatriz Rosa, Escola Básica Prof. Artur Nunes Vidal, Portugal
10. M101, Norah Riese, Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany
11. Mond, Michalis Xezonakis, Model Junior High School of Heraklion, Greece
12. Mond, Emmanouil Maounis, Model Junior High School of Heraklion, Greece
12. M100, Augustinus Hentschel, Freie Waldorfschule Lienen, Germany

Discover all the images here:

Thank you to all participants!