Photographer captures the Milky Way, a meteor, the moon and an erupting volcano all in the same shot

Publish date: 2024-08-13

Photographer Mike Mezeul managed to score a real one-shot wonder - by capturing lava, the Milky Way, the Moon and a meteor all in the same image.

The 32-year-old, from Allen, Texas, was in Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii when he seized the chance to capture the combination of Mother Nature's beauty.

The fiery red of the lava in the foreground is in deep contrast to the purple and blue hues of the galaxy beyond and the meteor can be seen as a white line.

This astonishing photograph would be pretty incredible if it was just of the lava but Mike Mezeul was lucky and skilful enough to also capture the Moon (on the right hand side), the Milky Way (in the center) and the meteor (the thin white vertical streak on the left) 

This astonishing photograph would be pretty incredible if it was just of the lava but Mike Mezeul was lucky and skilful enough to also capture the Moon (on the right hand side), the Milky Way (in the center) and the meteor (the thin white vertical streak on the left) 

Mike Mezeul used a time lapse device to take this photograph of himself standing near an active lava flow on the Pumala Pali peak in Hawaii'ss Volcanoes National Park

Mike Mezeul used a time lapse device to take this photograph of himself standing near an active lava flow on the Pumala Pali peak in Hawaii'ss Volcanoes National Park

He 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.'

Fortunately by that time he had already taken dozens of other amazing pictures of lava as it poured into the sea, creating billows of steam like nature's very own foundry. 

Mr Mezeul explained: '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.' 

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Share This incredible shot shows Mike Mezeul getting up close to the burning lava as it pours down the hillside, cooling and turning into stone in front of his eyes

This incredible shot shows Mike Mezeul getting up close to the burning lava as it pours down the hillside, cooling and turning into stone in front of his eyes

This epic picture looks like a vision of the gates of Hell as the molten lava pours down towards the sea

This epic picture looks like a vision of the gates of Hell as the molten lava pours down towards the sea

The molten lava pours straight into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii's Big Island

The molten lava pours straight into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii's Big Island

Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble: The lava splashes into the sea, creating clouds of steam

Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble: The lava splashes into the sea, creating clouds of steam

Kilauea (pictured) is one of the five volcanoes on Hawaii's Big Island and is estimated to be around 500,000 years old

Kilauea (pictured) is one of the five volcanoes on Hawaii's Big Island and is estimated to be around 500,000 years old

Mike Mezeul said: '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'

Mike Mezeul said: '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'

Kilauea was dormant between 1952 and 1982 but since 1983 it has been continually erupting and spewing molten lava out of a vent on the eastern side of the volcano

Kilauea was dormant between 1952 and 1982 but since 1983 it has been continually erupting and spewing molten lava out of a vent on the eastern side of the volcano

The U.S. Geological Survey measured Hawaiian lava as 1,100 Degrees Celsius

The U.S. Geological Survey measured Hawaiian lava as 1,100 Degrees Celsius

The Hawaiian archipelago was created millions of years ago and the north western islands are the least volcanically active while Kilauea (pictured) in the far south east is the most active area

The Hawaiian archipelago was created millions of years ago and the north western islands are the least volcanically active while Kilauea (pictured) in the far south east is the most active area

Mike Mezeul said: 'Once I found the lava surface flows, it was so amazing to see something that had traveled 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'

Mike Mezeul said: 'Once I found the lava surface flows, it was so amazing to see something that had traveled 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'

 

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