Icelandic volcano takes time out to produce a

[Still Waters]

After causing misery to millions of air passengers over the past few weeks, the infamous Icelandic volcano has at last provided us with something we can all admire - a giant smoke ring.

Like a human smoker, Eyjafjallajökull puffed out the magical circle.

Perfectly formed, it rose from the volcano's main crater and hovered hundreds of feet above the seething mountain for more than five minutes.

And just as it was produced in the blink of an eye, so it disappeared - the vapours whisked off in a cold northern breeze.

Fortunately Joseph Licciardi, an earth sciences professor from Oregon State University, was there to see it - and he had enough time to grab his camera and take a snap.

He said: 'The ring was visible five minutes and then fell apart - I am thrilled that I was present at the event.'

'The apparent fact that Eyjafjallajokull has blown only one observed smoke ring in the past month or so seems to indicate that this is an exceedingly rare occurrence during the present eruption.

Volcano photographers captured images of a similar event at Italy's Mt. Etna in 2000, but despite good documentation, Licciardi said that just how the rings form remains a mystery.

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[The Silver Thong]

That's pretty cool actually wonder if that smoking kid learned this from mother earth.