Lady Liberty Struck By Lightning

If you were fortunate enough to be holidaying in New York on the 22nd September, you may have seen the phenomenal moment in which a bright bolt of lightning struck the Statue of Liberty.

This impressive image was caught on camera by brave New York photographer, Jay Fine, who spent almost two hours poised with his camera in Battery Park City, Manhattan.

Mr Fine took more than 80 other shots while enduring the storm in a bid to bag the perfect picture, which he snapped at 8.45pm on September 22.

After trying to capture an impeccable shot for over 40 years, the 58-year-old said he was stunned when he saw the image.

‘I had been watching weather reports so I knew a storm was coming and it just seemed like a great opportunity.

‘I was ready and waiting when the lightning finally started and took 81 shots before finally getting this one.

‘I was shocked when I realised what had happened.

‘It was pure luck really, a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s the first photograph of its kind I have ever seen,’ He said.

Since being built in 1886, The Statue of Liberty is thought to have been struck by around 600 bolts of lightning every year.

The statue stands on Liberty Island and is accessible only by ferry. At 305ft tall, the statue is made up of enormous copper plates and weighs 225 tons in total.

For those of you who are planning a trip to the big apple and fancy seeing Lady Liberty up close, there are various trips you can book in the city.

If you’re really pushing the boat out you can book a helicopter tour where you’ll see the entire big apple from a birds-eye view. This will set you back around $150 whereas a simple ferry around the island would cost you a mere $35.