Growing up in the country as a kid, one of the things I loved most about Summer when the Sun went down were the green flickering lights that appeared like magic in my backyard. Not only were there stars in the sky, it seemed as if they came to life all around me, turning my world into an enchanted forest. These beautiful creatures are called fireflies, or as we call them in the south, lightning bugs. When is the last time you saw them? Sadly they are becoming a rarity in many places across the planet.

It seems like every where we look for life on exo-planets we still come up short. Things are just not adding up, how and why are planets so diifferent in other solar systems than our own? Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have gone looking for water vapor in the atmospheres of three planets orbiting stars similar to the Sun — and have come up nearly dry.

You’ve lived on Planet Earth all your life, but how much do you really know about the ground underneath your feet?

You probably have lots of interesting facts all about Earth rattling around your brain already, but here are more interesting facts about Earth that you may, or may not know.

Sometimes we get an image from the Hubble Space Telescope so incredible that it begs to tell the story of the whole picture. This image just released from NASA not only showcases this galaxy but peaks our interest about another galaxy not even shown in this photo.

Getting out at night and catching an eye full of the heavens can sometimes give us new awareness of the cosmos. Astrophotographer Brian Drourr took these stunning panoramas of the Milky Way. He says being under the stars has changed the way he sees the universe and our place in it.

"If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently. How so? Well, when you look into infinity, you realize that there are more important things than what people do all day." -Calvin and Hobbes

These aren't your average everyday selfies. Each photo is unique and creative because the photographer captured their own image against the ultimate backdrop, our Milky Way. When one spends so much time under the big open night sky, there is no escaping contemplating the deeper meaning of the universe. Whether we star gaze alone, with friends, or with the one we love, we can't help but feel small and humbled in the grandeur of the cosmos. We come to the understanding we are part of something so incredible and so much larger than ourselves. It was hard picking just one photo from each talented photographer. Please click the link under each name to see more captivating images of our night sky. Thank you to all the photographers who contributed images. The last image is an open invitation for anyone who would like to experience a front row seat to the most amazing show this planet has ever seen. We invite you to go out and enjoy the magic of the night as the Milky Way puts on an unforgettable cosmic show!

Far away, deep in space, a new baby star has been born in the universe. Hubble and ESA teamed up to bring us this remarkable image. This young star is zooming through the cosmos at supersonic speed with a tail made up from the very star that made it. The the gas and dust that surrounds it will eventually become planets and moons of this newborn alien sun. 

Summer is in the air and the Milky Way is high in the night sky. Astrophotographers bring the wonders of the universe right to our eyes without us ever going outside. With light pollution creeping in on every part of the globe many never see the Milky Way any more and sadly some have never seen it. Photographers have been eager to share their recent shots of the glorious Backbone of Night, each one a sparkling stellar masterpiece. Sit back and enjoy these extaordinary shots of cosmic eye candy!