Phytoplankton swirl in the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Iceland on June 3, 2016. (NASA Worldview)

Every year, when the northern waters of the Atlantic Ocean become warmer for springtime, something spectacular happens.

Greens, blues and turquoise colors all swirl in a mesmerizing dance through the water. It's as though Vincent Van Gogh himself showed up with a giant paint brush; but the real artists behind these .

While the best time of year to view the phytoplankton bloom is in the springtime, the bloom also occurs in the fall. This amazing view was captured on Sept. 23, 2015, showing a pattern that rivals the spirals in 'Starry Night.' (NASA/Norman Kuring/VIIRS data)

Billions of the minuscule marine plants thrive in the , the Washington Post reports; they finally return to the surface after winter storms push them into the depths.

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The variation in green hues comes from many different kinds of phytoplankton.

"The beautiful coloration in the bloom spotted by the Terra satellite that enables phytoplankton to capture solar energy and, through photosynthesis, turn it into chemical energy," Tom Yulsman writes for Discover Magazine.

In fact, phytoplankton are responsible for half of all the photosynthesis that happens on the entire planet.

The photo above was captured via the application Worldview, showing the beautiful process in action as the phytoplankton are carried by the North Atlantic Drift.

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