PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: Tornadoes in the sun; fireflies in New York City; a great white photographed in Maine

Mesmerizing tornadoes on the surface of the sun and fireflies dancing in New York City. Plus, seldom seen photos from World War II.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIGUEL CLARO

Astrophotographer Miguel Claro has spent years photographing the chromosphere, a thin layer of plasma between the Sun's visible surface, the photosphere, and its outer corona. Thousands of solar tornadoes swirl above the sun's surface at any given moment, and these remarkable photos give us a glimpse at these stunning cosmic phenomena.

PHOTOGRAPH BY EXPLORER SRIRAM MURALI

You don't have to travel to the deep woods or open prairie to experience these otherworldly insects. In fact, several firefly species can be found quietly blinking in the heart of some of the United States' largest cities. Read more to find out how photographer and Explorer Sriram Murali managed to capture these insects despite intense light pollution.

Photograph by the U.S. Navy 

Seldom seen photographs from World War II include this shot of crewmen of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier work to get rid of post-battle nervous strain by taking a swim in the warm waters of a lagoon in the Marshalls.

National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry has logged more than 10,000 hours under water—but he's never before snapped a photo of a great white in Maine before.