Idea #742 – Observing the start of an Etna’s eruption
Etna is a volcano located in Sicily, near the city of Catania. Rising to 3,357 meters above sea level, it is the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with nearly 80 known eruptions during the 20th century. At its summit are several craters whose shape and number change with eruptions. Let us quote, in the craters currently visible: the Voragine born in 1945, and the Bocca Nuova born in 1968 included in the Central crater, the North-east crater born in 1911 and the South-East crater, the last born.
The mythological origin of Etna is linked to gigantomachy: the giant Enceladus, punished by the goddess Athena for having deserted the battlefield against the Titans, finds himself crushed under the island of Sicily where he remains imprisoned. The volcano’s lava flows match its fiery breath, and it causes volcanic earthquakes when it rolls over. In another version, it is the titan Typhon: according to the Greek poet Pindar who designates Etna as the “column of the sky”, Zeus fought then locked up the monster Typhon, father of Cerberus and the Chimera, under the ‘Etna whose eruptions it causes. Guarded by Hephaestus, it wore eagle wings and had a hundred dragon heads whose eyes shoot flames.
The first recorded ascent of the volcano was made by the Greek philosopher Empedocles between 490 and 430 BC. The Greek geographer Strabo was one of the first to seriously describe the appearance of Etna. Emperor Hadrian climbed to the top of Etna in 125.
Its relatively steep slopes are interrupted by several eruptive vents, particularly on its southern and western flanks, as well as by several calderas, the largest of which is the Ox Valley, five kilometers wide and ten kilometers long, facing east. Its high eruptive activity, very fluid lava flows and proximity to densely populated areas have led volcanologists to include it in the list of “volcanoes of the decade”. In this video, we were able to observe the beginning of an eruption from the Southeast crater, which will subsequently take on a certain magnitude, on February 21, 2022.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Etna volcano, Sicily, Italia
