🏆Image Contest 2026

Step 1 — Submit Your Image

Send in your digital entry by June 1, 2026. Each submission includes a scientific image and a short bilingual description (German & English) that tells the story behind it.

Step 2 — Selection

Our team reviews all submissions and selects the images to be featured in the public exhibition. Selected entries are produced in poster format and prepared for display.

Step 3 — Public Exhibition (July 3–17, 2026)

Your image goes public. The exhibition opens on the night of the Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften — one of the region’s most high-profile science events. Visitors can explore the images, discover the science behind them, and vote for their favorite throughout the four-week run.

Step 4 — Planetarium Finale (September 14, 2026)

All selected images are presented again — this time projected in full-dome format inside the planetarium. Participants who choose to pitch take the stage for a 3-minute live presentation, sharing the image, the method, and the key message of their research. The jury selects the Best Pitch Award winner, and the Visitors‘ Favorite Award is announced based on public votes from the exhibition.

The Image Contest 2026 is open to:

• Members and students of Martin-Luther UniversityHalle-Wittenberg
• Researchers and students from local institutes and partner scientific institutions

No prior experience in science communication is required — just a great scientific image and the story behind it.

Questions? Contact us at: stephanie.krueger(at)biozentrum.uni-halle.de

🏆 Best Pitch Award — selected by an expert jury at the planetarium finale, based on the clarity, creativity, and scientific quality of your live pitch.

⭐ Visitors‘ Favorite Award — decided entirely by public vote during the two-week exhibition. Share the word, invite your network, and let the public choose their favorite image.

Both awards are presented live at the Pitch Your Image Night on September 14, 2026.

September 14, 2026 — Public Event

The grand finale of the Image Contest 2026 takes place at

Planetarium Halle
Holzplatz 5
06110 Halle (Saale)

This is your chance to present your scientific image and the story behind it to a live audience and a panel of expert jurors — Science-Slam-inspired, scientifically accurate, and genuinely memorable.

The format:

• Each participant has 3 minutes to pitch their image and story
• Your image is projected in full-dome format during your pitch — large-scale, immersive, impossible to miss
• A short moderated Q&A follows each pitch

Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or stepping on stage for the first time, the planetarium setting will make your science shine. We can’t wait to hear the stories behind the images.

The images are stunning. The science is fascinating. And now — it’s your turn.

During the public exhibition (July 3–31, 2026), anyone can vote for their favorite image and help decide who wins the Visitors‘ Favorite Award.

How to vote:

1. Visit the exhibition at
   
   Biozentrum
   Weinbergweg 22
   06120 Halle
   
   
2. Find the QR code displayed next to the images
3. Scan to open the online voting page
4. Browse the selected images and cast your vote

Voting closes on July 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM. The winner will be announced live at the planetarium on September 14, 2026.

Every vote counts — feel free to invite friends, family, and colleagues.

File formats: JPG, JPEG, PNG, or TIFF
Minimum resolution: 300 dpi
Maximum file size: 20 MB
Image dimensions: Must fit within DIN A1 format (approx. 59.4 × 84.1 cm) Description: Must be submitted in both German and English (displayed bilingually in the exhibition)

Images must have been captured by the entrant using an imaging device. Post-processing and re-colouring are permitted.

All entries are submitted via the digital registration form on this website:

[Link here ]

Submission deadline:

June 1, 2026

By submitting an entry, participants accept the full Terms & Conditions of the Image Contest 2026 (see below). 

Terms and Conditions