We are lucky to have a sizeable group of experienced and talented astroimagers in our club. So picking the astroimager of the year is always a difficult decision for the awards committee.

However, after consultation with Abdur, and based on the frequency of submissions to Astroimaging Corner, quality of work, and variety of subjects, the Bryce Heartwell Memorial Award for Excellence in Astroimaging goes this year to Alan Hobbs.

Alan’s images are so well processed they don’t look like they have been processed. Everything about the images: the colour, contrast, sharpening, positioning, noise—is so balanced and well controlled that the images just look natural. The imager is behind the image, not in front of it. Which is how it should be.

Congratulations, Alan!