Spectacular photos have captured the Northern Lights in the skies above Iceland.
Pictures of the phenomenon taken last night show sheets of green light dancing in the sky.
“Might be the best night of 2024,” one person posted on X.
Pic: @IcelandToursX
Pic: @IcelandToursX
The spectacle, also known as the Aurora Borealis, can often be seen in countries such as Iceland and Norway.
Occasionally it can be seen in the UK.
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Pic: @IcelandToursX
Pic: @IcelandToursX
The stunning display is caused by particles from the sun carried on solar winds interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere after being channelled to the polar regions by the planet’s magnetic field.
Pic: @IcelandToursX
Pic: @IcelandToursX
According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, different gases give different effects, with green in the aurora a characteristic of solar particles interacting with oxygen, while purple, blue or pink hues are caused by nitrogen.
Pic: @IcelandToursX
Pic: @IcelandToursX
A deep red can sometimes be seen as a result of solar particles interacting with oxygen at very high altitudes.
