Turkish astrophotographer Mehmet Ergün came third in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Competition organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in London in "the Sun category", according to a report by Ihlas News Agency (IHA) Tuesday.

Astrophotographers use technological equipment to photograph images that resemble scenes from science fiction movies and are impossible to glimpse with the human eye, thus creating unique images.

Ergün, who captured space with the photographs he took, was awarded the third prize in the Sun category, the report said.

The photo taken by Ergün, named "The Great Solar Flare," according to the information shared on the website of Royal Museums Greenwich – which was rewarded the third place award, includes a large solar explosion. Special equipment and filters were used for the photo taken with a 500-millimeter lens.

The Sun category of the "Astronomy Photographs of the Year Contest", held for the 15th time this year, is known to be a more difficult category than the others.

The competition, which received more than 4,000 photographs from 64 countries stands as the pinnacle of astronomical photography contests.

"I have achieved several successes with my photographs in the international arena. The last award I won carries a great meaning for me. I came third in the Royal Observatory Greenwich 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year Competition in London, thanks to my Sun photo," Ergün said.

"It is a great honor for me to be selected among more than 4,000 photographs from 64 different countries in this prestigious competition. I am delighted to be among the winners in the Sun category worldwide," he added.