See 13 volcanoes from space in this video

View 13 volcanoes from space in this ESA video.

From quiet ones, to the stupendous Tonga eruption in 2022, to the dueling eruptions of Shiveluch and Bezymianny on the Kamchatka Peninsula this week, satellites have captured incredible images of volcanoes from space. On April 10, 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) shared a video of 13 impressive volcanoes viewed from space.

At an altitude of 500 miles (800 km) above the Earth, ESA’s Sentinel constellation of satellites imaged the volcanoes you see in the video above. These satellites provide real-time data on volcanic activity. They can also help disaster response efforts post-eruption.

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13 volcanoes from space

ESA chose 13 of its favorite views of volcanoes from space. These volcanoes are from all over the globe. Here’s more information on where you can find each volcano on a map.

1. Mount Fuji, Japan
2. Mount St. Helens, Washington state, USA
3. Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA
4. Fagradalsfjall, Iceland
5. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
6. Mount Vesuvius, Italy
7. Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala
8. Mount Mayon, Philippines
9. Emi Koussi, Chad
10. Cumbre Vieja, Canary Islands, Spain
11. Mount Taranaki, New Zealand
12. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
13. Anak Krakatoa, Indonesia

Video highlights

Some of the highlights of the video include a cluster of volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest’s portion of the Ring of Fire, a region surrounding the Pacific where tectonic plates meet. We’re also treated to a fiery eruption of an Icelandic volcano that rumbled to life in 2021 after 800 years of inactivity. A different kind of fire – that of wildfires on the dry slopes of Mount Vesuvius – created excitement among Italians in 2017. The smoke from the wildfires made it look like Vesuvius was erupting again. In addition, the video shows an Indonesian volcano that killed more than 100,000 people in the 1800s. That volcano is still active and reshaping its island today.

One part of the video relevant to volcanoes in the news today shows views of the Kamchatka Peninsula, which is home to more than 300 volcanoes. This hotbed of activity makes it one of the most volcanic regions in the world. This week alone, two volcanoes – Shiveluch and Bezymianny – were busily erupting as earthquakes shook the land. The largest eruption came from Shiveluch on April 11, 2023. It spread ash across 41,700 square miles (108,000 sq km), with more than 3 inches (8.5 cm) of ash covering some communities. The ash cloud reached 65,600 feet (20 km) high in the atmosphere, prompting an aviation alert.

Bottom line: See 13 volcanoes from space in this new video from the European Space Agency. Plus, learn about the recently active volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Via ESA