"Mysterious spiral" that looks like hazy, glowing galaxy seen hovering in Alaska's northern lights

A couple of seasoned aurora watchers and photographers in Alaska were left bewildered over the weekend when a massive "mysterious spiral" emerged from the usual bright green bands dancing in the sky.

Todd Salat has been photographing the northern lights for years, even taking on the name "The Aurora Hunter." But just before 2 a.m., he experienced a "first" – "an illuminating gyre in the sky" that he said was sailing through the lights and over Donnelly Dome near Delta Junction, just southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska.

He photographed the mysterious shape, which appeared to be a giant hazy and glowing spiral galaxy hovering just above a mountain in the middle of green auroras.