Earth will pass between Mars and the sun in October 2020, and the distance between our 2 worlds is now relatively small. And so Mars is very bright now! Thanks to all in the EarthSky Community who captured Mars near the moon this past weekend.

Scientists call them 22-degree halos, because the shining ring around the sun (or moon) has a radius of approximately 22 degrees.

The 2 largest fires this week both began with lightning strikes.

These stunning photos - taken by the talented photographers in our own EarthSky community - are from earlier this month, when the moon was less bright in the evening sky. See the Milky Way - the edgewise view into our own galaxy - plus Jupiter, Saturn and meteors here!

The western half of North America is getting some spectacular sunrises and sunsets now, as wildfires rage. Photos here from the EarthSky Community.

This is quite a feat! The old moon one morning, and the young moon the following evening, centered on the August 2020 new moon.

Have you caught any Perseid meteors? If so, share your photos with us! If your skies have been cloudy, enjoy these great meteor photos from EarthSky friends around the world.

First sunrise in 4 months at Concordia Research Station in Antarctica, about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from the geographic south pole.

There are many colored arcs in the sky. This photographer captured one commonly seen in summer, when the sun is high in the sky.