Rare 'Aurora Curls' Captured in Iceland's Night Sky

Astrophotographer Jeff Dai captures the unusual phenomenon during a period of heightened solar activity.

Astrophotographer Jeff Dai captured rare 'aurora curls' in the night sky over Iceland's Kerid Crater.
The aurora curls are a result of large waves traveling through Earth's magnetic field, causing our magnetosphere to 'ring like a bell'.
The phenomenon is usually only visible to highly sensitive magnetic instruments, but in this instance, the energetic particles flowed down Earth's rippling geomagnetic field, triggering a bright aurora light show.
The aurora curls are more likely to occur during periods of increased solar activity, such as the current period as the Sun approaches its maximum in its 11-year cycle.
Jeff Dai's photography has been featured in several international media outlets, and he is also an advocate for preserving natural skies in China with the International Dark Sky Association.