How a photographer captured the eruption of a volcano under the Northern Lights | The Weather Channel – Articles from The Weather Channel

The eruption began in the evening of March 19, 2021. This image was taken in the center of Grindavik, the city closest to the volcano, during the pre-dawn hours of March 20. The glow of flowing lava can be seen reflected from the clouds above the volcano. (Chris Matthews)

Photographer Chris Matthews snapped a once-in-a-lifetime photo earlier this year. Matthews was able to capture the aurora borealis in all their colorful glory over the erupting Gildadalur volcano in Iceland.

In an email interview, the photographer told weather.com how he captured the viral photo, which the UN’s World Meteorological Organization called its photo of the week this spring.

“The volcano is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland, near the international airport and not far from where I live,” Matthews said. “I’ve been waiting a while for a volcanic eruption there. In the summer of 2017, we had hundreds of small earthquakes that suggested possible volcanic activity, but the event faded as the magma stayed deep in the earth. And in early 2020, there was another magma flow, on the deep It’s shallow, pushing the ground up and lifting nearby mountains tens of centimeters or more. But that waned, too.”

But on February 24 this year, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck Matthews the moment he had been waiting for. The earthquake occurred not far from Grindavik, a small town on the southern coast of the Reykjanes peninsula, and in the next three weeks, according to the BBC, the country recorded more than 40,000 earthquakes – hundreds occur every day. Matthews learned that an eruption was on his way. He began exploring locations where he could photograph the volcanic eruption, but he was still not sure where and when it would occur.

Then, on March 19, about a month later, he got the call. There was an explosion going on.

“I went to many of the sites I visited, but the weather was bad and there was no opportunity to see much of anything from most of them. As I approached Grindavik, there was a distinct crimson glow in the image from downtown (first image in the slideshow above),” Mathews explained. It was taken at dawn on the first day of the volcano.”

The reddish color in the sky was the glow of flowing lava reflected in the clouds. Matthews turned in his direction.

“Just getting close to the volcano forces you to make some choices. In the early days of the eruption, there were no tracks to the mountain valley where the lava first erupted. You had to cover several kilometers of broken rock, mud and snow, often in strong winds and on steep slopes. And this Means choosing the gear wisely, because it would have strapped to your back for several hours of grueling exercise.I didn’t use hiking poles on my first trip there, and I’m sorry I haven’t made that mistake since!

“You also have to think about the weather. Iceland is notorious for rapid changes from sunshine to snow, so you have to be prepared. Second visit to the volcano we had an unexpected snowstorm and the return trip was tough – I got lost in the storm. I was wearing good polar clothes And I was never really in danger, but it took longer to come down from the mountains than expected.Since the beginning of the eruption, the government has marked trails and installed gravel and dirt paths People who want to see the volcano can do so much more safely.It’s much easier Carry your gear on those trails. I usually carry a Canon 90D weatherproof body and two lenses: a wide angle and a telephoto. Which one depends on the outlook and time of day. Also bring a lightweight tripod,” the photographer said.

Matthews attempted to photograph the volcano from the air twice: once in a helicopter, and once on a propeller-powered plane. He found the helicopter flight to be unproductive since there was very little room to place the camera to get a good shot. All of his aerial photos seen above were taken from a Cessna flown by Eagle Air, a domestic airline based from the domestic airport in Reykjavik. Matthews said it was more spacious and had an easier time photographing the volcano with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L zoom lens.

The photographer said he made it his goal to photograph the eruption and the aurora borealis together. The first few nights of the eruption were overcast, but he did spend some time exploring sites that would provide a good view when the clouds separated. This means finding a spot free of interference from streetlights and city lights.

“I found a good spot on the edge of a farm near Grindavík, and when we had a forecast of clear skies and strong twilight activity, I gathered my night photography gear (Canon 6D body and Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 lens) and headed,” Matthews said. “There was another unexpected snowstorm and I almost gave up. But just before midnight the clouds were gone, so I prepared my gear and waited. It didn’t take long for the twilight to shine over the volcano. Fortunately, it happened to be on my birthday and I can’t imagine a nicer gift. !”

Gildadalur volcano had not erupted in 6000 years before this year, and according to National Geographic, the first volcanic eruption occurred in the Reycans peninsula about 800 years ago. The peninsula is home to several volcanic systems, which lie within a sheltered valley far from any settlements or infrastructure, making it a concern for Iceland.

(More: Watch the red hot lava flows in Iceland’s erupting volcano)

Matthews calls Iceland “photographer’s paradise,” with volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs, hot springs, and an abundance of wildlife. And of course from fall until spring is twilight season.

“When you watch, the sky lights up with wavy colors that dance in complete silence. It’s a really great experience. I love summer in Iceland, but I live for the twilights,” he explained.

Matthews shares his photographs on his website, wishing others around the world to enjoy the amazing sights he has access to.

“Hope [is] That people who see my photos will enjoy it and feel some sense of amazement that I felt taking it. It has been my great fortune to witness a beguiling beauty—and a privilege to share.”

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking news about weather, the environment, and the importance of science in our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of the parent company, IBM.

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