Balut Island

Balut Island, also known asMalulong, is a potentially activevolcanic islandsouth of the tip ofDavao Occidentalprovincein theMindanaoregion, southernPhilippines. At the center of the island isBalut Volcano, afumarolicvolcanowith no historical eruptions.
The island is located about 13 km (8.1 mi) from mainlandMindanao, separated by theSarangani Strait. Balut, Sarangani and Olanivan islands make up theSarangani Islandsgroup. Politically, the group is organized under theMunicipality of Saranganiof Davao Occidental since 1978, having previously been part ofJose Abad Santos.Mabila on Balut Island is administrative and commercial center of the town.
Balut is subdivided into 10barangays:
Balut Island, the westernmost of the Sarangani Islands, is the larger, higher, and better cultivated than Sarangani Island. In the center of the island is Balut Volcano, which is fumarolic on occasion.  Balut Island rises to about 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) from the seabed with the highest elevation at 862 metres (2,828 ft)above mean sea level. Base diameter of the island is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi).
If seen from the northwest, it appears between two peaks. Northeast is another peak of Balut, southwest of the peak is the Langab volcano. In the southeast part of the island isTen Seventy Hillwith an elevation of 1,083 feet (330 m).
The north and east coasts are bordered by a reef, which in some places extends out over 1 mile, while on the south and west sides the fringing reef does not extend out to any distance. Off the southwest point is a rock island calledManamil Islandwith an elevation of 40 feet (12 m).Lajan Point, the northeast point of the island, is low and covered bymangroves.
South of the Lajan Point is Mabila, which is thepoblacionor town center of the Municipality of Sarangani. The Port of Mabila is the main port of entry to the island and the gateway to the rest of the municipality.
Balut is classified byPhilippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismologyas a potentially activestratovolcanowithsolfataricactivity.  Hot springs and thermally altered grounds with temperatures of 95–96 °C (203–205 °F) are located at the west and Southwest basal slopes of Balut Volcano. Temperature at the Palabuno Hot Spring is 42 °C (108 °F).
Rock type on the volcano is predominantlybasaltandandesite.  Balut is part of theCentral Mindanao Arc, an area of frequentearthquakesand volcanic activity. All volcanoes in the Philippines are part of thePacific Ring of Fire.  Like most volcanoes in southern Philippines, Balut Volcano is not studied much scientifically.
There are no recorded historical eruptions on the island. The January 4, 1641 eruption that enveloped most ofMindanaoin darkness was falsely attributed to Balut Volcano, as well as other volcanoes in the Philippines. Later studies showed that the eruption was ofMount Parker, 80 kilometres (50 mi) NW of Balut Island.
Being among the southernmost islands in the Philippines, it is possible to see bothPolarisand theMagellanic Cloudsfrom this area. Polaris is very low in the northern sky at about 5° altitude (about a thumb's length with the arm outstretched). TheSouthern Crossis also visible, and its vertical bar points almost directly at the Southcardinal point. Being near theequator, the sun is often very high in the sky. At a latitude of 5° 24', the sun passes directly overhead at noontime on or about April 3 and September 8 of each year, causingzero-length shadows. This phenomenon is not possible in high-latitude areas.
Astronomers fromPAGASAset up on the island to observe the December 26, 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse. Balut Island, Sarangani Island, and Olanivan Island are the only places in the Philippines where the annularity was visible. Other parts of the Philippines only experienced apartial solar eclipse. The eclipse had a magnitude of 97.2% in Balut Island, 97.1% in Sarangani Island, and 96.8% in Olanivan Island. According to local folklore, eclipses are caused by a large, celestial dragon called theBakunawa, that devours the sun.