These magical pictures show an aurora forming a perfect swirling pattern above an Icelandic mountain featured in Game of Thrones.
The ethereal green light display appeared over Kirkjufell – also known as ‘The Witch’s Mountain’ – that rises from the sea in the isolated west of the Nordic nation.
The fluorescent lights – caused by solar particles reacting with Earth’s magnetic field – can be seen spiralling out from the crooked 463m summit.
Located on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, the dramatic peak appeared in seasons six and seven of the popular fantasy show.
Photographer Craig McDearmid caught the incredible spectacle on an ‘aurora hunting’ trip in January, which was almost ruined by stormy weather.
He said: “We hadn’t really had that much luck. We drove from one side of the island to the other.
“We travelled about 500 miles the day before, just trying to get a gap in the clouds.”
On the last day of the trip, Craig went north to Kirkjufell, hoping for a last chance to catch the stunning natural phenomenon – also known as the northern lights.
The 49-year-old said: “Unbelievably, the clouds started to clear as soon as the sun went down.
“You could see the aurora and it just got stronger and stronger.
“It just came off at that time, at that magical moment and we happened to be there to get it.”
Craig, from Hamsterley Colliery, Co Dur., used his Sony a7 camera and a 14mm Samyang lens to shoot the spectacle.
Using his tripod, he took a five-second exposure as the lights appeared to hover over the giant rock.
Craig said: “I’ve never seen that swirling formation before. I’ve never seen anything like that happen.”
He added: “You just get swept up into this magical world.
“It’s fairly euphoric to witness. It’s just awe-inspiring when it moves across the sky.”
by Tommy Lumby
