Mt. Etna Lava Plume

Mt. Etna has been erupting for hundreds of thousands of years. Located in Sicily , Italy , the volcano produces lava fountains over one kilometer high. Mt. Etna is not only one of the most active volcanoes on Earth , it is one of the largest, measuring over 50 kilometers at its base and rising nearly 3 kilometers high. Pictured in mid-March, a spectacular lava plume erupts upwards, dangerous molten volcanic bomb s fly off to the sides, while hot lava flows down the volcano's exterior. The Earth's rotation is discernable on this carefully time , moon-lit, long duration image as star trails . Follow APOD on: Facebook , Google Plus , Instagram , or Twitter