Icebergs are a majestic sight under even the most ordinary circumstances, as the snowy peaks rises far above the cold and glittering water below.
But on a recent trip to the Antarctic peninsula, filmmaker Alex Cornell was able to capture an even more unusual and breathtaking sight– the underside of an iceberg that had flipped over.
Strangely enough, that massive mound of snow and ice floating on the sea is usually only about 10% of the total iceberg. And it’s the “dirty” part–the part that gathers snow, dirt, and debris. The underside of the flipped iceberg showcases a clear, almost glassy surface.
According to SmithsonianMag.com, the beauty of the upside-down iceberg can be attributed to a combination of nature and time:
In the case of this jewel-like iceberg, the ice is probably very old. In glaciers, years of compression force out air pockets and gradually make the ice denser, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
“When glacier ice becomes extremely dense, the ice absorbs a small amount of red light, leaving a bluish tint in the reflected light, which is what we see.”
In addition, minerals and organic matter may have seeped into the underwater part of the iceberg over time, creating its vivid green-blue color.
How fitting that such these mysterious mountains of ice and snow have been quietly hiding their most stunning side.