Spectacular Northern Lights filmed over Iceland

Footage has been released of a spectacular display of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, filmed over Iceland on Thursday.

The aurora borealis is caused by the combination of the solar wind - a stream of charged particles escaping the Sun - and our planet's magnetic field and atmosphere.

These charged particles "excite" gases in our atmosphere, that make them glow .

Pictures courtesy of Gardar Olafsson