Kilauea Eruption From Space

Pumpkin Orange Lava Fountain Under Clouds on Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i (credit: NASA, Ricky Arnold 6-20-2018)

Mount Kilauea in Hawai'i is likely one of the most observed volcanoes on Earth. The eruption has even been photographed from space while erupting recently. Astronaut Ricky Arnold captured a pre-dawn photo from the International Space Station as it passed over the Hawaiian Islands just before sunrise. The curvature of the Earth and orange lava fountains are easily visible. Almost like a nightly weather report, US Military News provides updates and warnings on the eruption.

Lava flowing from fissures has now affected over 6000 acres and hundreds of homes and other structures have been destroyed. NASA has also observed Kilauea from space using inferred photography. Sulfur compounds in the lava appear as yellow and green tones in IR light.

          Mount Kilauea lava flows and sulfur compounds in IR, 6-2018 (credit: NASA)

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