Aurora over Icelandic Glacier

Several key conditions came together to create this award-winning shot. These included a dark night, few clouds, an epic auroral display, and a body of water that was both calm enough and unfrozen enough to show reflected stars. The featured skyscape of activity and serenity appeared over Iceland 's Vatnajkull Glacier a year ago January, with the Jkulsrln Iceberg Lagoon captured in the foreground. Aurora filled skies continue to be common near Earth's poles as our Sun, near Solar Maximum , continues to expel energetic clouds of plasma into the Solar System. Follow APOD on: Facebook , Google Plus , or Twitter