Iceland Volcano Erupts With Stunning Aurora Backdrop: (photo)

[sabrina 1]

From Discovery News, some spectacular photos:

Iceland Volcano Erupts With Stunning Aurora Backdrop



April 7, 2010 -- Photographer Albert Jakobsson knows how to be in the right place at the right time. He was on hand at the latest eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjajokull volcano over the weekend just as Earth was being slammed with the strongest geomagnetic storm in three years. The result: lava meets heavenly bliss as a ribbon of green aurora ripples above Eyjafjajokull's fire fountains.

A shot like that is one in a million, but Jakobsson's been lingering around the volcano for a while now, documenting the incredible juxtaposition of fire, ice, and celestial beauty. In an image taken last week, he captured the full moon as it cast a silvery pall over the proceedings:



Slide Show of more photos here:

Iceland Volcano: Massive Ash Plumes

More on the geomagnetic storm that coincided with the eruption of the Volcano and lasted three days:


Earth Gets Geomagnetic Wallop

Feeling a bit scattered today? Well perhaps you can blame the weather. I'm not talking about spring fever. A blast of solar wind is pummeling Earth's magnetosphere, sparking the strongest geomagnetic storm so far this year.

Though it registered a "7" on the 0-to-9 K-index scale of magnetic disturbances, the storm is expected to pass quickly. The silver lining, for those at high-latitudes anyway, is a beautiful show of auroras -- the result of high-energy particles from the sun smashing into oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere. As the molecules return to normal, they give off energy in the form of photons. The colors in the aurora depend on which atmospheric gas is being revved up by the invading electrons and how much energy is being exchanged. Oxygen emits greenish yellow or red light; Nitrogen generally produces blue.

[virgogal]

1. OMG,that top picture is awesome. Nature in full force,

with all of it's beauty and power.

[jwirr]

2. That is how I feel about all of natures spectacles. Awesome.

[sabrina 1]

3. Yes, it is stunningly beautiful but I love the picture of

the moon also, 'Fire and Ice' ~

The artistry of nature.

[WillyT]

4. Wow !!! - K & R !!!

Beautiful!

:kick:

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Wowser...

K&R

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

:thumbsup:

[sabrina 1]

7. National Geographic has some awesome photos also

Iceland Volcanic Ash Clogs the Skies



Some great photography but I think the first photo from the Discovery News article will probably win prizes.

[HughMoran]

8. Great photos

We are mere bugs on this planet.

[sabrina 1]

9. So true, as George Carlin said,

'the planet will survive' and will shake us off as if we were bugs. Too bad humans spend so much time challenging nature, instead of respecting it.

[Generic Other]

10. I like the one of the guy cooking a hotdog!

crazy man!

[sabrina 1]

13. Yes, that's a great picture ~ lol!

Lucky for him the volcano didn't pick that day to erupt ~

[Arugula Latte]

11. Nature kicks ass, in every sense of the phrase.

[sabrina 1]

14. It does. It's so sad that people do not respect

the beauty of nature, but when something like this happens, we are so powerless despite all the technology we have. I just read that the ash has spread as far as China and may even reach the U.S.

[Odin2005]

12. Beautiful!!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. Incredible beauty!