Stunning pictures of the volcano that blew a hole in the sky!

[Teki187]

Framed by a circle of clouds, this is a stunning illustration of Nature's powerful force.

A plume of smoke, ash and steam soars five miles into the sky from an erupting volcano.

The extraordinary image was captured by the crew of the International Space Station 220 miles above a remote Russian island in the North Pacific.

The round hole in the clouds is thought to have been caused by the shockwave of the initial explosion. At the centre lies the billowing mushroom tower of grey and brown ash.

For volcano experts, the most exciting part of the image is the layer of smooth white cloud that caps the plume - a little like a layer of snow on a mushroom.

This cap of condensed air is created from the rapid rising and then cooling of the air directly above the ash column. When moist, warm air rises quickly it creates a cloud.

This cap, which meteorologists call a pileus cloud, is already beginning to break up in these images - and would have vanished soon afterwards.

Far below, a thunderous line of light grey cloud can be seen falling down the sloping sides of the volcano.

This is a deadly pyroclastic flow - a mixture of hot gas and ash that destroys everything in its path.

Reaching temperatures of 600C (1,112F) and moving at 130mph, a pyroclastic flow is the most dangerous part of a volcanic eruption.

You've seen the hole in the clouds - now see the hole in the universe:

Source

Some amazing pictures there. Hope you like them.

 

[NeoNemesis]

Thanks for that

 

[Sonea Fifer]

Some stunning pics there

 

[Fegruson]

With interstellar matter evenly distributed across the skies, this black anomaly is a bit of a head-scratcher - is it a black hole? A worm-hole? A stairway to Heaven? Or just the start of the collapse of the universe, which doomsayers assure us will start in 2012?

 

[Dark_Angel]

Some stunning pics there

Indeed. I never cease to be amazed at some of the power of mother nature.

 

[Anksy]

wow

 

[Revenuk]

Very Nice pictures there,

Good find.

 

[ScarySquirrel]

Wow, thanks for posting. Awesome photos.

 

[Booner!]

Is anyone measuring how this will affect global warming?

Nice photos!

 

[SlyReaper]

Is anyone measuring how this will affect global warming?

Nice photos!

It's a natural event, so it must be wholesome and good, don't ya know?

 

[xxalxx]

fantastic pictures

 

[Jono8]

Is anyone measuring how this will affect global warming?

Nice photos!

probably more than 70 odd years of riding a little car around

 

[Dark_Angel]

Isn't one of the theories of what happened to Venus that massive volcanic events caused saturation in its atmosphere that basically the green house gases couldn't escape and the planet basically baked?

 

[Skullfish1]

It's also quite a bit closer to the sun.

That may help keep it warm.

Excellent pics, OP.

 

[DragonWoLf]

Awesome pics 0.0

 

[Teki187]

With interstellar matter evenly distributed across the skies, this black anomaly is a bit of a head-scratcher - is it a black hole? A worm-hole? A stairway to Heaven? Or just the start of the collapse of the universe, which doomsayers assure us will start in 2012?

Hahaha, i didn't read that bit. Idiots tbh.

 

[Amp34]

Good old Daily Mail...

Is anyone measuring how this will affect global warming?

Nice photos!

Most likely, or at least they will be writing a paper in a few years. However it will probably have increased the temperature of the earth about 0.001 degree for a couple of years. It's a tiny eruption.

 

[PESolution]

all this feminism these days, but the raving lesbo's havent got rid of "mother nature" now have they..

back on topic, nice pictures

 

[Ciphon]

Very cool pictures!

It would have been amazing to have been up there seeing it all unfold.

 

[PardonTheWait]

Is anyone measuring how this will affect global warming?

Nice photos!

Said in the paper it's been going off pretty regular forever, so it won't change anything by continuing to go off. No wonder no bugger lives on that island, sod that for a game of soldiers