page_title: Mount Etna
hierarchical_section_title: Mount Etna
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Ausbruch des Ätna am 30. Oktober 2002, fotografiert von der Internationalen Raumstation ISS. Dieses Bild zeigt eine Detailaufnahme des Vulkanausbruchs, währenddem ein zweites von der ISS aufgenommenes Bild die weiträumigen Auswirkungen (Aschewolke) aufzeigt. English: ISS005-E-19024 --- The three-member crew of the Expedition Five mission onboard the International Space Station was able to observe Mt. Etna’s spectacular eruption, and photograph the details of the eruption plume and smoke from fires triggered by the lava as it flowed down the 11,000 ft mountain. This image and a second image (ISS005-E-19016) are looking obliquely to the southeast over the island of Sicily. This wider view (ISS005-E-19024) shows the ash plume curving out toward the horizon, caught first by low-level winds blowing to the southeast, and to the south toward Africa at higher altitudes. Ashfall was reported in Libya, more than 350 miles away. The lighter-colored plumes downslope and north of the summit seen in this frame are produced by forest fires set by lava flowing into the pine forests on the slope of the mountain. This image provides a more three-dimensional profile of the eruption plume. This eruption was one of Etna’s most vigorous in years, volcanologists reported this week. The eruption was triggered by a series of earthquakes on October 27, 2002, they said. These images were taken on October 30. Although schools were closed and air traffic was diverted because of the ash, no towns or villages were reported to have been threatened by the lava flow. Français&#160;: Éruption de l'Etna du 30 octobre 2002, photographiée depuis la Station spatiale internationale. On peut voir le panache éruptif émis par le cratère sommital, ainsi que des incendies causés par des coulées de lave en contrebas. Les poussières du panache sont charriées vers le sud-est par les vents de basse altitudes puis plein sud à plus haute altitude. Des cendres sont ainsi tombées sur la Libye, à plus de 500 km de distance. L'éruption de 2002 est l'une des plus vigoureuses éruptions de l'Etna ces dernières années. Aucun village n'a cependant été détruit par les coulées de lave.
context_page_description: Mount Etna is a volcano on the east coast of Sicily, part of southern Italy. It is the largest active volcano in Europe. Mount Etna erupts every few years.
  Etna's most destructive eruption in historic times started on 11 March 1669. It produced lava flows that destroyed 10 villages and reached the town of Catania five weeks later, on 15 April. Many buildings were destroyed and few people were killed.
  Major twentieth century eruptions occurred in 1928, 1949, 1971, 1983 and 1992, as well as the 2001 eruption. In 1971, it buried the Etna Observatory under lava. The 1992 eruption saw the town of Zafferana threatened by a lava flow, but successful diversion efforts saved the town with the loss of only one building a few hundred metres outside it.
  In 2002–2003, the biggest series of eruptions for many years threw up a huge column of ash that could easily be seen from space and fell as far away as Libya, on the far side of the Mediterranean Sea. Seismic activity in this eruption caused the eastern flanks of the volcano to slip by up to two metres, and many houses on the flanks of the volcano were damaged.
context_section_description: Mount Etna is a volcano on the east coast of Sicily, part of southern Italy. It is the largest active volcano in Europe. Mount Etna erupts every few years.
  Etna's most destructive eruption in historic times started on 11 March 1669. It produced lava flows that destroyed 10 villages and reached the town of Catania five weeks later, on 15 April. Many buildings were destroyed and few people were killed.
  Major twentieth century eruptions occurred in 1928, 1949, 1971, 1983 and 1992, as well as the 2001 eruption. In 1971, it buried the Etna Observatory (built in the late 19th century) under lava. The 1992 eruption saw the town of Zafferana threatened by a lava flow, but successful diversion efforts saved the town with the loss of only one building a few hundred metres outside it.
  In 2002–2003, the biggest series of eruptions for many years threw up a huge column of ash that could easily be seen from space and fell as far away as Libya, on the far side of the Mediterranean Sea. Seismic activity in this eruption caused the eastern flanks of the volcano to slip by up to two metres, and many houses on the flanks of the volcano were damaged.  The eruption also destroyed the Rifugio Sapienza, a ski resort on the southern flank of the volcano.
caption: Etna's 2002 eruption, photographed from the ISS
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