Fuglefjorden glacier flowing into the Arctic sea. The impressive sunrise sun illuminates the tips of the mountains into a soft orange light. Beautiful clouds float in the Arctic sky, which lets the blue shine through. In the foreground, you see the reflection of the colorful sky between the pack-ice on the water surface.
Fuglefjorden glacier is in Spitsbergen, Norway. When the icesheet retreats and carves a U-shape valley in the landscape, it creates a fjord. That takes many years, of course. It is resulting in the sea filling the valley floor. We describe it as a deep valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extended below sea level, and naturally filled with seawater. Undoubtedly, you can experience sometimes also Polar bears in front of glaciers.
Interesting facts about glaciers
- To be classified as a glacier, it has to be 0.1 square kilometers. Nearly the size of 19 football fields.
- The biggest glacier in the world is 96 kilometers / 60 miles wide and 435 kilometers / 270 miles long.
- Indeed, they contain about 69% of the world’s freshwater supply.
- A glacier can move over 15 meters / 50 feet per day.
- During the last Ice Age, they covered 1/3 of the Earth’s surface.
- Unlike other colors, blue light can penetrate snow and ice, thus giving them a blue appearance.
- Occasionally they can form overactive volcanoes.
Incredibly, if every glacier and ice sheet on earth melted, the sea levels would rise by over a whopping 79 meters/ 260 feet. We estimate that Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers.
Explore more like this photo of the Fuglefjorden glacier in Svalbard. Discover our Arctic circle photography. All my landscape pictures you can purchase as an image license for your projects or personal. also, every nature picture is available as wall art prints.
Barbara –
The raw beauty of this landscape is masterfully captured using the light and shadows to give it that golden touch.
Anette Mossbacher –
Thanks so much, Barbara for taking the time to comment. The Arctic is full of such beautiful landscapes to photograph. The light is marvelous and pristine. Thank you 😀