Seeing red: How a lunar eclipse and volcanic ash create colourful phenomenon for moon-gazers

By Daily Mail Reporter
From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Red colour most vivid in Asia

Sky watchers were treated to a stunning lunar eclipse last night as ash in the atmosphere from a Chilean volcano turned it blood red.

Scientists said the specific phenomenon - known as a 'deep lunar eclipse' - often exudes a coppery colour. But the intensity of the colour depends on the amount of ash and dust in the atmosphere.

Luckily for moon-gazers, there was plenty of ash in the air so the moon appeared orange or red, especially in Asia.

Scroll down for video

The moon, photographed by an observer in Tel Aviv, exudes a reddish colour during a deep lunar eclipse last night

A composite picture showing the total lunar eclipse in the east of Beirut, Lebanon yesterday. People in the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and western Australia were able to enjoy the entire event

The lunar eclipse is seen over the Atomium in Brussels, in the early hours of the morning, local time

Air travellers haven't been so lucky: The ash has grounded hundreds of flights around the region.

The dramatic event, the longest total lunar eclipse since 2000, turned the moon blood red for 100 minutes during the period of totality.

But Europeans missed the early stages of the eclipse because they occurred before moonrise.

The eclipse began at 6.24pm and ended at midnight but sunset didn't occur in the UK until 9.19pm.

The Staten Island Ferry cruises along the water as the moon rises over Brooklyn as seen from Liberty State Park

The total lunar eclipse is seen above the old city walls during the Jerusalem Festival of Lights

The moon is seen during different stages of the total lunar eclipse in Gaza town in the Gaza Strip, which borders Egypt and Israel

A boat sails by Manila Bay, Philippines, at dawn this morning under a red moon, while an airplane lands at Fiumicino International airport in Rome, Italy, during the lunar eclipse

Scientists had reassured sky watchers that the eclipse could be safely observed with the naked eye.

People in the eastern half of Africa, the Middle East, central Asia and western Australia were able to enjoy the entire event.

However, those in the U.S. missed out as the eclipse occurred during daylight hours.

Moon caught in a crescent shape above Skopje, Macedonia

A partially eclipsed moon rises in the sky over Moscow, Russia, last night

This graph shows when the total lunar eclipse was visible on Earth

Today's Google Doodle paid tribute to the lunar eclipse with a video graphic

The moon is normally illuminated by the sun. During a lunar eclipse the Earth, sun and moon are in line and the Earth’s shadow moves across the surface of the full moon.

Sunlight that has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere makes the moon appear red, brown or black.

The moon travels to a similar position every month, but the tilt of the lunar orbit means that it normally passes above or below the terrestrial shadow. This means a full moon is seen but no eclipse takes place.

Chile’s Volcano Eruption Looks Like Hell on Earth

By: Casey Chan

From: http://gizmodo.com/

If you need a reminder on how fucking scary volcanoes can be, check out the explosion of Puyehue volcano in southern Chile. The volcano hadn't erupted for half a century but blew up this past weekend, painting the sky red.

I mean seriously, this volcano looks unreal. 3,500 people were evacuated from the area and ash from the volcano even rained down in Argentina. [Denver Post via Mappeal]

Image Credit: AFP PHOTO/CLAUDIO SANTANA

More Incredible Pics here: http://photos.denverpost.com/

Watch a Japanese volcano explode into its biggest eruption since 1959

From: http://io9.com/5745256



This is the most fiery moment the Kirishima volcano group has experienced since 1959 — the eruption, starting yesterday, sent a plume of ash 1,500 feet into the air. More insane volcano footage below.




If you've ever watched an old science fiction TV show or movie with stock footage of a volcanic eruption, you'll wish they'd had access to video footage this lurid and insane. [via Pink Tentacle]

Absolutely stunning photos from Kluchevskoy Eruption

From: http://zuzutop.com/

Kamchatka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanoes_of_Kamchatka

Eruption

The snowy peaks blazing sun with fire.

Volcanic eruption Kluchevskoy: hell underfoot

Acid Lake.

Photos source

The Most Psychedelic Hot Spring on Earth

Written by ppavone
From: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Photo: Chmehl

The melted-highlighter hues of the Wai-O-Tapu hot springs in New Zealand make one wonder how nature can look so unnatural. Also known as the Champagne Pools, Sacred Waters, and Artist's Palette, the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal pools have attracted much attention for their psychedelic qualities.

Photo: macronix

The Wai-O-Tapu pools are the result of thousands of years of volcanic activity. Nine hundred years ago, a hydrothermal eruption solidified the presence of the pools. The eruption was triggered by the infiltration of rainwater into the ground, which returned to the surface significantly hotter and hydrostatically pressurized due to its passage through the earth.

Photo: tokyoahead

The geothermal gradient beneath the pools is responsible for an outward heat flow from Earth's boiling interior. The heat flow from the Earth at these locations is so powerful that it generates 0.3% of the world's electricity.

Photo: anna t

The Champagne Pool is maintained at a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, but the deepest parts, which do not lose heat into the atmosphere, can hit 500 degrees. Due to the high heat, very little life can survive in the pools, which are more a geological phenomena than an ecosystem. However, at least three bacteria have been found to exist within the waters.

Photo: Leyo

The colorful pools are even more impressive due to their size. The craters are over 200ft in diameter and 200ft deep, and are filled with nearly 2 million cubic feet of geothermal fluid.

Photo: Tim Parkinson

The Champagne Pool is aptly named given the presence of surplus carbon dioxide, yielding bubbly fizz in the water, much like is found in a bottle of Dom Perignon. The colors are attributed to the variety of minerals and metalloid compounds including orpiment and stibnite.

Photo: khirol

Although originally occupied by the Ngati Whaoa tribe, the Wai-O-Tapu geothermal wonderland complex is now a vibrant tourist attraction. The area includes geysers, which erupt daily, and bubbling mud pools, and has been protected as a scenic reserve since 1931.

Photo: viahar24.com

Photo: viahar24h.com

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

Iceland Dance Party

Inspired by Iceland Video from Inspired By Iceland on Vimeo.

Eyjafjallajokull gave Iceland kind of a bad image recently, but this lovely promotional video should go a someway towards correcting that.

http://inspiredbyireland.com/

9 Active Volcanoes People Still Live Near

Learn which communities sit in the path of volcanic eruptions

By Brynn Mannino

from WomansDay.com

Civilizations developed on the flanks of volcanoes for the same reason an estimated 500 million people continue to live on them today: mineral-rich soil, geothermal energy, tourism opportunities and natural beauty. Following the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland, and the 30th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens, we started wondering which volcanoes pose the biggest threat to people. Here’s what we came up with.

Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy

Last known eruption: 1944

Mount Vesuvius, which overlooks the Bay of Naples, is the only volcano in mainland Europe to have erupted within the last century—and, due to its dense surrounding population of approximately 3 million people, is regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world. Alas, the volcanic soil surrounding the roaring volcano is too rich to let go to waste and the tourism opportunities too plentiful, because the government can’t get many of the nearby residents to accept $30,000 per family to move to a safer location. Photo by AFP/Getty Images.

Kilauea in Kalapana, Hawaii

Last known eruption: 1983

Kilauea, which overlaps the eastern flank of the massive Mauna Loa shield volcano, has been Hawaii’s most active volcano in recent years. Kalapana was once considered one of the most beautiful Hawaiian regions. But in 1983, a long-term eruption began that has produced lava flows, destroyed nearly 200 homes and added new coastline to the island. In recent years, however, the population of 2,421 people has grown 11.7 percent as people slowly return to the beautiful black sand beaches. Photo courtesy of rjones0856 via Flickr.com.

Suribachi in Iwo Jima, Japan

Last known eruption: 2001

The rock on which the famous battle occurred is home to four hundred Japanese Self-Defense Force staffers who manage air-traffic control, fueling, rescue airbase and explosive-ordnance disposal, but otherwise the island has been uninhabited since the end of the U.S. occupation in 1968. Civilians are only permitted on the island for memorial services, as construction workers for the naval air base or as meteorological agency officials. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Merapi in Java, Indonesia

Last known eruption: 2007

Home to a population of approximately 130 million, Java is the most populated island in the world. It’s also host to 45 volcanoes (excluding 20 small craters) including Merapi, the most feared in the country. In Indonesia, however, the best and most lucrative rice crops—a main source of income—are obtained from the rich soils located close to the volcanoes, which keeps the farming population close by. Photos by Philippe Bourseiller / Getty Images.

Popocatépetl in Puebla, Mexico

Last known eruption: 2010

"Popocatépetl," the Aztec word for “smoking Mountain,” has had over 20 major eruptions in recent history. In the time of the Aztecs, the closer the maize grew to the mountain, the earlier it ripened and the better it tasted due to the rich soil and geothermal climate. Now, more than 2 million people live in Puebla, which is just 25 miles west of Mexico City. Officials warn residents to stay at least four miles from the crater after five hikers were found dead in 1995, possibly due to volcanic gases. Locals stick around, however, due to the city’s lucrative tourism opportunities and rich soil. Photo by Bruno Perousse / Getty.

Galeras in Pasto, Colombia

Last known eruption: 2010

Pasto, which boasts a population of more than 300,000 inhabitants, is located at the foot of the Galeras volcano, currently the most active volcano in Colombia (it has been in a state of eruption for over 20 years). A majority of the 8,000 people (mostly farmers) living close to it tend to ignore the frequent evacuation alerts. The fact that the volcano erupted unexpectedly in 1993, unleashing a deadly blow that killed nine people, doesn’t scare civilians away, as the volcanic soil serves them all too well—the region specializes in the production of dairy products. Photo by AFP/Getty Images.

Stromboli in Stromboli, Italy

Last known eruption: 2010

Stromboli volcano, a.k.a. “the lighthouse of the Mediterranean” is one of two active volcanoes on the Aeolian Islands—a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, Italy. Stromboli and its always smoke-spewing volcanic cone has become a native- and tourist-loved epicenter, thanks to the city’s untouched eastern side, which is lined with whitewashed houses, narrow streets and beautiful black-sand beaches. The population, though only a few hundred people during winter, swells to several thousand in the summer. Photo by Getty Images.

Etna in Sicily, Italy

Last known eruption: 2010

Europe’s largest volcano, Etna, serves as a backdrop for the city of Catania, and is in a constant state of contained eruption. Lava moves slowly down the mountain, giving those nearby a chance to escape, which is how the volcano got the nickname “friendly giant.” In the event of a large explosion, though, many locals living nearby would probably have to relocate. But residents take the risk, as the mineral-rich soil is perfect for cultivating vineyards, olive groves, citrus plantations and orchards. Photo by De Agostini/Getty Images.

Eyjafjallajökull in Reykjavik, Iceland

Last eruption: 2010

The most recent volcanic eruption began in March 2010, turning destructive in April with melt-water floods, the evacuation of nearly 800 people (many who were farmers) and the most extensive air travel disruption in Northern Europe since World War II. As of today, there is no sign of the eruption ceasing—which is no problem for nearby tourist agencies. According to the BBC, the 25 active Icelandic volcanoes have long been the center of Iceland’s tourism, drawing crowds from across the globe. Photos by Arctic-Images /Getty Images.

Volcano Surfing in Nicaragua

Downhill from Here

VITALS Volcano Boarding through Tierra Tour León, Nicaragua 505-2315-4278 official website As your Icelandic friends can tell you, volcanoes are nothing to kid around with. They're big, they're filled with molten rock, and, from time to time, they like to show off for the outside world. But you've never let the threat of a little lava stand in the way of a good time. Introducing Volcano Boarding, your chance to take a high-speed slide down the sandy slope of a Nicaraguan rumbler, running now. Basically, this is your chance to find the same rush of speed you get in the Swiss Alps—only someone swapped those well-traversed snowy peaks for 1,600 feet of volcanic pebbles. A brave outfit called Tierra Tour will bus you to a peak known as Cerro Negro, hike with you to the top and outfit you with the necessary jumpsuit, pads and good wishes—and then you tear down the rough slope on a snowboard-style wooden plank. (You need something tougher than a regular board to stand up to this terrain.) The last eruption was in 1999, disrupting boarding for a solid two days, and there could be another any day now. So you'll want to watch your back—or request a toboggan-style board that'll rocket you down at up to 40 miles an hour. Which we're pretty sure is faster than lava. Note: Volcano Boarding, booking trips now, more info here

Volcano Eruption in Iceland Followed by “Dirty Thunderstorms”

From: http://incredibleworld.net/

Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland has continuing to gather our attention. The huge plume of ash which has covered almost whole western and northern Europe has made a lot of troubles to passengers and air traffic landing down the most of plane flights over the Europe.

But it still continues to send large amounts of ash into the air and photographers managed to catch some photos of rare phenomenon called a “dirty thunderstorm” which follows the eruption.

It is really amazing and also scary to see those photos where boiling stones and plenty of strong and shiny thunders are “dancing” and all that thing is followed by dark plume of ash.

It is not completely clear what is the real cause of such thunderstorms but scientists believe that they might be caused by ice particles mixed with volcanic ash and lava. As you can see from photos, those “dirty thunderstorms” are pretty intensive and at this moment, the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano has took an apocalyptic look, considering the fact that it caused the breakdown of whole air traffic system for almost a week and we don’t know when it is going to end.

Image credits: Vilhelm Gunnarsson / EPA

Volcanic ash cloud from Iceland grounds all UK flights

By: Press Association

from: http://www.independent.co.uk/

MARCO FULLE / BARCROFT MEDIA LTD

Spectacular pictures taken from a helicopter at sunset on April 14, 2010 show how ash from an Icelandic volcano is severely disrupting travel plans for British air passengers

Philippines' Mayon Volcano to explode 'within days'

From: http://www.cnn.com

More than 40,000 people have been evacuated from the base of the Mayon volcano in the Philippines as scientists warn an explosion is imminent.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Thousands of people evacuated from base of Mayon volcano in Philippines
• Scientists warn that the volcano is about to explode
• The volcano has already erupted 49 times since 1616
• Audible booming and rumbling sounds first heard Sunday

(CNN) -- Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes as scientists warn the towering Mayon volcano is about to explode in the Philippines, the country's national news agency reported Monday.

More than 9,000 families -- a total of 44,394 people -- are being housed in evacuation camps after authorities Sunday raised the alert status of the country's most active volcano, Albay Province Gov. Joey Salceda said.

But officials said not everyone is heeding their warnings -- some villagers were spotted within the danger zone checking on their homes and farms on the foothills of the volcano.

The government is trying to enforce a "no man's land" rule in the designated danger zone, with military and police instructed to double the personnel manning the nine checkpoints and double their foot patrol operation inside the restricted area, PNA reported.

Video: Volcano ready to blow

Philippine authorities raised the alert status to Level 4 on Sunday which "means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days," according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

"Audible booming and rumbling sounds were first reported in the eastern flank of the volcano" Sunday afternoon, and 1,942 volcanic earthquakes were detected by the institute's seismic network in the 24 hours to 7 a.m. local time on Monday (6 p.m. ET on Sunday), the institute said.

One was "an explosion-type earthquake" that launched a cloud of ash about 500 meters (1,640 feet) into the air, according to the statement.

Level 4 means an eruption is considered imminent and Level 5, the highest, means an eruption is taking place.

The Institute recommended extending already-established danger zones of 8 km (4.9 miles) south of the summit and 7 km (4.3 miles) north of the summit of the the 8,077-foot volcano.

People in surrounding Albay Province have flocked to town centers to catch a glimpse of glowing lava cascading down the slopes of Mayon since the mountain began oozing fiery lava and belching clouds of ash last week.

The volcano, located about 500 km (310 miles) south of the Philippine capital of Manila, has erupted 49 times since its first documented eruption in 1616.

The Philippines is situated in the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and devastated several towns. Its last major eruption was in 1993. Since then, it has remained restless, emitting ash and spewing lava.