Volcanic eruption seen from space. The large white cloud at the top of this frame is the smoke plume from the eruption of Rabaul volcano, New Guinea,

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Volcanic eruption seen from space. The large white cloud at the top of this frame is the smoke plume from the eruption of Rabaul volcano, New Guinea, seen during Shuttle Mission STS-64. The volcano erupted on 19 September 1994. Two cones, called Vulcan and Tavurvur, sit on either side of a 6km-wide ancient volcanic crater which forms Rabaul harbour. This eruption involved both cones and up to three other vents. The white plume seen here is smoke and light ash being carried westward at about 18km altitude by weak prevailing winds. The brown cloud at centre is heavier ash fallout from the eruption which has become suspended in the lower atmosphere.

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Size: 4370px × 4470px
Photo credit: © NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: erupting, eruption, geology, guinea, rabaul, space, sts-64, sts64, volcano