NASA post photo of 'dragon' aurora charging through the sky
NASA have posted an image of a stunning dragon-shaped aurora, which was seen lighting up the sky in Iceland this week. The space agency shared it as their Astronomy Picture of the Day on 18th February.
Captured by photographers Jingyi Zhang and Wang Zheng, the aurora was caused by particles emitting from the sun, which then smashed into our atmosphere to create the most beautiful, otherworldly display.
If you look closely at the image you'll be able to spot a stunning dragon-shaped head, roaring across an Icelandic beach in shades of bright green and deep purple.
"The aurora was caused by a hole in the Sun’s corona that expelled charged particles into a solar wind that followed a changing interplanetary magnetic field to Earth’s magnetosphere," wrote NASA.
"As some of those particles then struck Earth’s atmosphere, they excited atoms which subsequently emitted light: aurora. This iconic display was so enthralling that the photographer’s mother ran out to see it and was captured in the foreground," they continued.
These beautiful auroras are usually known to be silent, but scientists claim they can often make "clapping and popping" noises, especially when the Northern Lights appear. Make sure to listen out for them on your next trip to Iceland.
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