2026 AOSS Photo Contest
Around the world, the atmosphere and the weather connects us all. From the most energetic events, to subtle transformations, these captured moments reveal the complexity underlying our natural world and beyond.
For the 16th year, the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Photo Contest at UW-Madison showcases stunning photographs of weather phenomena. Students, scientists, staff and professors all share what they see when they peer through the camera’s lens.
This year’s winning entry “Thorizon” was submitted by Fraser King, an assistant professor in the UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
“This was taken at our family cottage in Goderich, Ontario on Aug 3, 2022. It was a very odd storm because we were sitting on the porch watching the sunset with beautiful weather all day, when all of a sudden everything went nearly black. We ran down to the beach to see this huge storm rolling in over the lake with lightning in the distance,” said King. “I took a few photos and one of them perfectly aligned with a lightning strike I later realized. I had never seen such a perfectly shaped cloud with such sharp edges before, so this photo has always stood out to me in my mind.”
Take a look at the winning entries, honorable mentions and all of the outstanding photographs submitted this year.