Tom Rae (born 2004 or 2005) is a New Zealand astro-photographer.
Born in 2004 or 2005,[1] Rae is from Christchurch and studied at St Andrew's College.[2] Rae has been interested in photography and astronomy since he was 13.[1]
Rae was recognised in the Milky Way Photographer of the Year award in both 2023 and 2024.[3][4] Rae won the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year award in the Skyscapes category twice in a row, in 2024 and 2025.[5][1][6]
Rae works with Nikon cameras that have been "astro-modified" to allow in wavelengths of light that would normally be filtered in camera optics.[6]
Rae mostly works in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Award-winning photos Tasman Gems (2024) and The Ridge (2025) were captured at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.[6][7] Celestial Radiance (2023), which was recognised in that year's Milky Way Photographer of the Year award, was taken at Lake Tekapo.[8][2]
Rae's photography has been published in National Geographic, The Guardian, Forbes and by NASA.[1]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 "20-year-old artist wins international award for stunning night sky photography", RNZ, 19 October 2025, retrieved 19 October 2025
- 1 2 Granville, Alan (13 June 2023), "Kiwi teen photographer goes from 'absolutely terrible' to taking on the world", Stuff, retrieved 19 October 2025
- ↑ Thornber, Lorna (21 May 2024), "Kiwis' stunning Milky Way photos named among world's best", Stuff, retrieved 19 October 2025
- ↑ "Young Kiwi's stellar Mt Cook picture among Milky Way Photographer of the Year winners", The New Zealand Herald, 22 May 2024, retrieved 19 October 2025
- ↑ "ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2025 winners", Royal Museums Greenwich, 1 January 2025, retrieved 19 October 2025
- 1 2 3 "Star photographer wins prize with stunning Aoraki Mount Cook shot", RNZ, 19 October 2025, retrieved 19 October 2025
- ↑ Granville, Alan (12 September 2024), "'My greatest achievement': Kiwis celebrate wins at major astronomy photo awards", Stuff, retrieved 19 October 2025
- ↑ Granville, Alan (31 May 2023), "Stunning Milky Way images from Kiwis named among world's best", Stuff, retrieved 19 October 2025