Photograph courtesy Mike Hardy / SWNS
KENT, England — Sometimes, the best research can come from anyone with a camera or telescope just enjoying the wonders of the night sky. Case in point, a British photographer recently captured a rare display of bioluminescence off the shoreline — under a beautiful view of the Milky Way.
Mike Hardy, 61, documented the shimmering blue effect along the Romney Marsh in the coastal part of the United Kingdom between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on June 1.
Usually seen in warmer waters, the phenomenon of bioluminescence is caused by the production and emission of light by living organisms. Fireflies are a more common example of bioluminescence.
“This rare phenomenon takes place when there is lots of bioluminescence in the water, usually from an algae bloom of plankton,” Hardy tells South West News Service. “I captured the images using a 25-second-long exposure method, stacking eight images per picture to reduce noise due to the high ISO needed.”
Here are some additional photos of the spectacular display:
