Stephane Vetter captured the best night-sky photo in the world

Stephane Vetter was proclaimed the top-prize winner in the "Beauty of the Night Sky" category at the recent 2011 Earth and Sky Photo Contest organized by astronomy-education project The World at Night (TWAN).

"A Starry Night of Iceland", Stephane Vetter's winning entry in TWAN's Earth and Sky Photo Contest 2011 | Photo: Stephane Vetter, TWAN

Vetter's winning photo he named "A Starry Night of Iceland" shows two green auroral rings as they are being reflected by the Jökulsárlón lake, the largest glacial lake in Iceland. The stunning picture also displays the Milky Way above arctic landscape of Iceland.

The 2011 Earth and Sky Photo Contest is the second international photo contest conducted by the TWAN. About 240 entries were submitted this year, coming from 30 countries around the world. The 10 winners were proclaimed in May, 2011.