Astronomy-lovers across New England gazed upward in wonder last week as Mars made its closest approach to Earth since 2003, shining big and red in the night sky. If you missed the event but still want to see some celestial marvels, you’re in luck—the Perseid meteor shower will be reaching its peak between August 11–13. A few of our wildlife sanctuaries are hosting watch parties and some have astronomy programs year-round, so be sure to look for an event in your area!
To celebrate our astral obsession, we’ve rounded up five stunning photographs of star trails and the night sky from our Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. Enjoy these lovely images and submit your beautiful nature landscape photography to the 2018 photo contest today!
© Paul Blankman
© Mackenzie Dillon
© Greg Allison
© Andrew Santoro
© Sean Henderson