Michigan Aurora Chasers

Compete in the Capture Dark Sky Contest

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by

Melissa F. Kaelin
in

Exciting new contest! Thanks to the leadership of Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin Patrick Grubba, the Capture the Dark Sky Contest is now open for submissions. The winning photography will be professionally printed and displayed at Headlands International Dark Sky Park!

You’re invited to enter the Capture The Dark Sky Contest, a collaboration of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, the Mackinaw City Area Arts Council and Headlands International Dark Sky Park!

Offering over $1,500 in cash prizes, the Capture The Dark Sky Contest celebrates Michigan’s extraordinary night skies, showcasing the photographers who document them, in an effort to decorate the walls of Headlands International Dark Sky Park!

Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin Patrick Grubba captured this photo of a starry night and a hint of the Northern Lights in January near Mackinaw City, Michigan. Visit his team page!

With a focus on photos taken in Michigan, the contest invites entries in three categories:

1. The Night Sky

2. Aurora

3. Deep Space Objects

A Grand Prize Winner will receive $225, a printed display with a bio card at Headlands International Dark Sky Park, and a featured social media post by MAC & MCAAC.

The Grand Prize and the Winners of each category with be unveiled in an Award Ceremony at the 4th Annual Michigan Aurora Chasers Workshop on March 21, 2026, (free registration required to attend). The deadline to enter is February 28, 2026. Please follow the guidelines on the contest website to submit your entries.

Recommended Sizes: JPEG with a maximum dimension of 1920 to 3840 pixels on the long edge, a file size under 5MB-50MB, and 300 DPI

In general: Dimensions (Pixels): Aim for 1920 x 1080 (HD), 1920 x 1280 (3:2 ratio), or up to 3840 pixels wide for high-resolution screens.

File Type/Format: JPEG is preferred. File Size: Prefer to keep file size between 5MB TO 50MB. Resolution (DPI/PPI): While PPI doesn’t matter for screen, 300 DPI is recommended for versatility. Color Profile: sRGB works best

Don’t forget, the deadline to enter is February 28, 2026.

Good luck, everyone!!

For more details and the submission link, visit: https://MichiganAuroraChasers.com/contests

Or visit: https://sites.google.com/view/capturethedarksky/home

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