Earth and space mingle in stunning ways for the 2025 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest. Credit: Luis Cajete / 2025 Milky Way Photographer of the Year Daniel Zafra PortillThe Milky Way contains an estimated 200-400 billion stars, but we can only see a fraction of the celestial bodies with our naked eyes. As twilight gave way to full darkness, the core of the Milky Way appeared high overhead, shining with incredible clarity. Credit: Burak Esenbey / 2025 Milky Way Photographer of the Year Daniel Zafra Portill“Galaxy of the Stone Array”Moeraki Boulders, New ZealandThe Milky Way hangs over the sea. Credit: Brent Martin / 2025 Milky Way Photographer of the Year Daniel Zafra Portill