Summer skies: Fireworks to fireflies | CNN

Kekaha, Hawaii —

Known for its clear night skies, Kekaha, Hawaii, was the perfect location for Jim Denny to photograph the Perseid meteor shower passing over the Earth in August 2013. Click through the gallery to see more beautiful summer scenes.

Courtesy Jim Denny

The fireworks on Bastille Day are a must-see if you're in Paris. <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-997446">Marcia Taylor</a> attended the celebration for the first time in July 2012 and captured this display.

Paris, France —

The fireworks on Bastille Day are a must-see if you're in Paris. Marcia Taylor attended the celebration for the first time in July 2012 and captured this display.

Courtesy Marcia Taylor

<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1144530">Susan Moore</a> stopped to capture the view at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta when hundreds of swallows swooped in. "I loved the chaotic motion of the birds in combination with the tranquil reflection of the mountains," she said.

Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta —

Susan Moore stopped to capture the view at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta when hundreds of swallows swooped in. "I loved the chaotic motion of the birds in combination with the tranquil reflection of the mountains," she said.

Courtesy Susan Moore

There's no better place to contemplate the vastness of space than under the Milky Way on a warm summer night. Astrophotographer <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1139688">Steven Coates</a> shot this photo in Canton, Maine, in August 2013.

Canton, Maine —

There's no better place to contemplate the vastness of space than under the Milky Way on a warm summer night. Astrophotographer Steven Coates shot this photo in Canton, Maine, in August 2013.

Courtesy Steven Coates

Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah line is known for its sandstone formations and vast desert views.<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1145480"> Toby Dingle</a> photographed lightning striking, "an amazing thing to witness," last September.

Monument Valley, Utah —

Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah line is known for its sandstone formations and vast desert views. Toby Dingle photographed lightning striking, "an amazing thing to witness," last September.

Courtesy Toby Dingle

Wiltshire, England —

The clouds break through on a mild July evening at Stonehenge to illuminate the sarsen stones, providing "a brilliant summer backdrop to this amazing place," said Ken Arbuckle, who captured this image during a July 2011 vacation.

Courtesy Ken Arbuckle

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere lasts from December to March. While on vacation in February 2008, <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1145263">Mario Goren</a> shot this storm over the Traslasierra Valley in Cordoba, Argentina.

Cordoba, Argentina —

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere lasts from December to March. While on vacation in February 2008, Mario Goren shot this storm over the Traslasierra Valley in Cordoba, Argentina.

Courtesy Mario Goren

Phuket, Thailand —

The sun sets over the Andaman Sea off the coast of Phuket, Thailand, in July 2013, as seen in this photo by John Vogel.

Courtesy John Vogel

In late July 2012, <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-996683">Mark Conner</a> attended the L'International des Feux Loto-Québec. The annual international fireworks competition in Montreal, Quebec, offers up a dazzling display of color and light.

Montreal, Quebec —

In late July 2012, Mark Conner attended the L'International des Feux Loto-Québec. The annual international fireworks competition in Montreal, Quebec, offers up a dazzling display of color and light.

Courtesy Mark Connor

The sun drifts below the New York City skyline on a late June evening. <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1140686">Jeremy Aerts</a> found the perfect spot to drink in the view of the East River at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

New York, New York —

The sun drifts below the New York City skyline on a late June evening. Jeremy Aerts found the perfect spot to drink in the view of the East River at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Courtesy Jeremy Aerts

Palawan, Philippines —

After spending the day hiking up Mount Mantalingajan in Palawan, Philippines, Sherbien Dacalanio was treated to this summer sunset.

Courtesy Sherbien Dacalanio

Prague, Czech Republic —

A rainbow appears after a summer shower in Prague, Czech Republic, where Ken Arbuckle and his wife vacationed in July 2012.

Courtesy Ken Arbuckle

Jim Jorstad felt he was "in another world" when he looked up and saw <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1148956">these heaping cloud formations</a> in late June from the Mississippi River shore in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The rolling clouds are known as mammatus clouds and typically associated with strong thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

LaCrosse, Wisconsin —

Jim Jorstad felt he was "in another world" when he looked up and saw these heaping cloud formations in late June from the Mississippi River shore in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The rolling clouds are known as mammatus clouds and typically associated with strong thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.

Courtesy Jim Jorstad

<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-953637">Gary Ashley </a>said this sunrise over India's Ganges River was "a sight that remained etched in his mind." He captured this image during a late summer vacation to the ancient spiritual center of Varanasi.

Varanasi, India —

Gary Ashley said this sunrise over India's Ganges River was "a sight that remained etched in his mind." He captured this image during a late summer vacation to the ancient spiritual center of Varanasi.

Courtesy Gary Wayne Ashley

"Every sunrise is different, so no reason to sleep in and miss the sky show -- grab that cup of Joe and have it on the beach," said <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1145556">Robert Ondrovic,</a> who woke up to this view off the coast of Wildwood Crest on the New Jersey Shore in August 2013.

Wildwood Crest, New Jersey —

"Every sunrise is different, so no reason to sleep in and miss the sky show -- grab that cup of Joe and have it on the beach," said Robert Ondrovic, who woke up to this view off the coast of Wildwood Crest on the New Jersey Shore in August 2013.

Courtesy Robert Ondrovic

Fireflies use their bioluminescence to attract mates during warm summer nights. <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1148774">Spencer Black</a> captured these love bugs in action during a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee —

Fireflies use their bioluminescence to attract mates during warm summer nights. Spencer Black captured these love bugs in action during a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-941405">Quyen Lam</a> captured this image of dusk in Singapore during a July 2011 vacation.

Singapore, Singapore —

Quyen Lam captured this image of dusk in Singapore during a July 2011 vacation.

Courtesy Quyen Lam

Yosemite National Park's Glacier Point overlook is <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1004214">Aaron Keigher's</a> "favorite place in the world." It's not hard to see why when you look at this double rainbow beside the park's iconic Half Dome.

Yosemite National Park, California —

Yosemite National Park's Glacier Point overlook is Aaron Keigher's "favorite place in the world." It's not hard to see why when you look at this double rainbow beside the park's iconic Half Dome.

Courtesy Aaron Keigher

The beauty of a summer sky

Story highlights

Sunsets, fireworks and starry skies remind us that it's summer

The first day of summer was June 21 in the U.S.

Share your stories and images with CNN iReport

CNN —

Summer is the quintessential season of leisure and fun. A time for adventure and exploration, summer is when long days consist of basking in the sun, catching fireflies in our hands, gazing up at stars and cheering with the crackle of fireworks.

Ready for a mini vacation? To celebrate summer, CNN invited explorers to submit their favorite images of summer skies from around the globe. See some of the best user-submitted photos by exploring the gallery above.

Do you have a passion for travel photography? Share your photos with CNN iReport and you could be featured on CNN.com.

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