An American photographer has captured lava, the moon, a meteor and the Milky Way in one stunning photo.
Mike Mezeul was in Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii when he seized the chance to photograph the natural wonders.
The fiery red of the lava in the foreground is in deep contrast to the purple and blue hues of the galaxy beyond.
In further photos lava is pictured pouring into the sea, creating billows of steam like nature’s very own foundry.
Mezeul, 32, said: “I was literally in shock. It was my third frame to shoot after the sun had set, and after I saw the meteor, I knew I couldn’t beat that image, so I packed it up and headed back.
“There were some times while shooting that I only had a few seconds to get the shot before having to move because of risking getting burned.
“The hike out to the lava was pretty strenuous as well, all together it was nearly a 13 mile hike round trip through some of the most extreme landscape I’ve ever been in.
“Once I found the lava surface flows, it was so amazing to see something that had travelled so far from the centre of our Earth to that exact spot where I was standing.
“This was a first for me shooting lava, and it certainly won’t be the last.
“I would like to thank Shane at Lava Ocean Tours, INC. for getting me close to the lava on his boat, a truly exceptional captain.”
