Summer - Atlas Obscura
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Our first place winner is Mark Yuan's photograph of an Allen's hummingbird drinking water droplets in Fremont, California.
animals

Our Final Summer Snaps Photo Contest Winners: Wildlife

For the last days of summer, we're going au naturel!
Winnie Lee September 12, 2023
<em>Orfelia fultoni</em> are the only bioluminescent fly species in North America, and the larvae produce the bluest light in the insect world.
caves

Meet the Glowing 'Worms' of the American South

There is a lot to learn about Orfelia fultoni, the only bioluminescent fly in North America, but its larvae put on a show.
Maggie Gigandet August 18, 2023
Our first place winner is Abdul Dremali's photograph of the Milky Way with moai figures on Easter Island, Chile!
photography

Our Second Summer Snaps Photo Contest Winners: Night Views

These magical images from our readers will inspire you to appreciate night vision.
Winnie Lee August 17, 2023
Did landscape architect Jens Jensen design this winding road in Wisconsin's Door County?
architecture

Wisconsin's Long and Winding Road Has a Secret Past

For decades, locals believed landscape architect Jens Jensen designed this twisty stretch of Highway 42—the real history is even more serpentine.
Tea Krulos August 15, 2023
The Milky Way rises above Pakistan's Karakoram Mountain Range.
meteorites

The 8 Best Astronomy Books For Beginners

From Mary Roach’s hilarious look at space travel to astronaut Scott Kelly’s photos documenting a year off planet.
Sarah Durn August 10, 2023
First place: Gary Schatan's photograph of huge alligator and gramophone in San Francisco Bay, California.
roadside attractions

Our First Summer Snaps Photo Contest Winners: Roadside Attractions

May these amazing shots inspire you to hit the road!
Winnie Lee August 1, 2023
Long exposures can be key to capturing the grandeur of the Milky Way, seen here at Hollow Rock in Lake Superior off the coast of Minnesota.
photography

Seeing Stars? Share Your Favorite Shot of a Summer Night and Win!

Show us your best shots from after darkness falls, for Atlas Obscura’s next Summer Snaps photo contest.
Winnie Lee July 19, 2023
We asked readers to share their most magical encounters with wild animals, such as Madeleine Oh's story of playing with a baby fox.
monkeys

9 Incredible Wild Animal Encounters From Our Readers

From playing tag with sea lions to holding hands with an orangutan.
Sarah Durn July 18, 2023
Oxygen in the atmosphere gives auroras over Vik, Iceland, their eerie green glow.
auroras

Auroras Are the Sun's Special Nighttime Light Show

As our day star enters its most active period, look for more opportunities to catch these spectral northern (and southern) lights. Here's how.
Rebecca Boyle July 11, 2023
List

11 Unique Amaros and Liqueurs to Level Up Your Aperol Spritz

This summer, try an artichoke tipple with your soda and sparkling wine.
Sam Lin-Sommer June 29, 2023
We asked readers to share their best stories about the night sky—quite a few included magical tales of seeing the northern lights.
meteorites

9 Summer Night Sky Stories From Our Readers to Warm the Heart

From seeing the northern lights aboard a Navy ship in Norway to braving the cold for a glimpse of a blood moon.
Sarah Durn June 28, 2023
All illustrations by Michelle Boggess-Nunley
roadside attractions

The Ultimate American Road Trip Maze

A new challenge from a record-holding maze-maker, inspired by summer travels around the United States.
Michelle Boggess-Nunley June 27, 2023
Nature’s Window in Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia. The rock arch is one of the state’s iconic natural attractions, formed from layers of Tumblagooda Sandstone.
astronomy

Tips for the Best Milky Way Images, From a Photographer Obsessed With It

Stanley Aryanto took a once-in-a-lifetime photo of the Milky Way, Comet NEOWISE, and auroras thanks to planning, patience, and luck. Now he's sharing what he knows.
Emily Dieckman June 27, 2023
List

9 Sodas That Fizz With Local Flavors

Get your soft drink fix with masala and maple sap.
Sam Lin-Sommer June 22, 2023
The Summer Triangle dominates the left side of this image: Vega is the bright star at top left, Altair appears just below the center of image, and Deneb at far left.
astronomy

At Solstice, the Summer Triangle Is Full of Celestial Drama

On the Northern Hemisphere's shortest night of the year, spot this trio of bright stars with stories to tell.
Rebecca Boyle June 21, 2023
Wyoming's Casper Mountain is home to witches who appear once a year, on Midsummer's Eve, thanks to the rich imagination of writer and artist Neal Forsling.
witchcraft

On Wyoming's Casper Mountain, the Crimson Dawn Witches Appear Every Midsummer's Eve

Nearly a century ago, writer and artist Neal Forsling's magical tales began a local legacy that celebrates family, nature, and imagination.
Michelle Harris June 19, 2023
The Beehive Cluster, also known as Praesepe and M44, can be spotted near Venus this week.
astronomy

Watch the Beehive Cluster and Venus Dance in the Night Sky

Summer is the time to spot a group of "sibling stars" observed for millennia. Use our gear guide to get started.
Rebecca Boyle June 14, 2023
If you happen to be in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, grab a book for your next hike from this little free library inside a 110-year-old black cottonwood tree.
nature

7 Books to Inspire Your Next Nature Adventure

From a hilarious dive into animal lawbreakers to a harrowing true crime tale in the Shenandoah Valley.
Sarah Durn June 13, 2023