New Satellite Images Capture Mount Etna’s Massive Eruption
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New Satellite Images Capture Mount Etna’s Massive Eruption
Mount Etna’s eruption on June 2, 2025, marked a dramatic moment in the history of one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The eruption resulted in the creation of a massive plume that could be seen from space, and its effects were monitored by various satellite missions. The Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission captured sulphur dioxide emissions from the eruption. The Sentinel-2 mission provided an optical image of the eruption, offering a different perspective. Data from both missions is being used to understand the broader environmental impact of such eruptions, particularly in relation to air quality and global warming. Scientists are closely monitoring Etna’s activity as its unpredictable eruptions continue to shape the landscape, helping to predict future volcanic hazards and improve disaster response strategies. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy confirmed that the magnitude of this eruption was the largest since 2014.
A Powerful Eruption: Mount Etna’s Unstoppable Force
Mount Etna’s eruption on June 2, 2025, marked a dramatic moment in the history of one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Known for its frequent eruptions, this latest event was especially striking due to the scale of the sulphur dioxide emissions and the volume of ash, gas, and rock that were expelled into the sky. The eruption resulted in the creation of a massive plume that could be seen from space, and its effects were monitored by various satellite missions, including ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-5P.
For the local population, the eruption brought a mixture of awe and concern, as these volcanic events, while spectacular, can have serious consequences for nearby communities. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy confirmed that the magnitude of this eruption was the largest since 2014. Scientists are closely monitoring Etna’s activity as its unpredictable eruptions continue to shape the landscape.
The Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission captured sulphur dioxide emissions from Mount Etna’s eruption on 2 June 2025. (ESA)
Copernicus Sentinel-5P: Capturing the Volcano’s Imprint from Space
The Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission, a part of the European Space Agency’s Earth observation program, was instrumental in capturing the eruption’s sulphur dioxide emissions. This satellite is specifically designed to monitor the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere, and its capabilities allowed it to track the volcanic gases released by Mount Etna. Sulphur dioxide, a key indicator of volcanic activity, is not only a potent greenhouse gas but also contributes to the formation of acid rain.
The satellite’s ability to capture these emissions from space provides valuable data for researchers studying atmospheric composition and climate change. The Sentinel-5P’s images, along with data from other satellite missions, are being used to understand the broader environmental impact of such eruptions, particularly in relation to air quality and global warming.
The Role of Sentinel-2: An Optical View of the Eruption
In addition to Sentinel-5P, the Sentinel-2 mission provided an optical image of the eruption, offering a different perspective. The Sentinel-2 satellites are equipped with high-resolution imaging instruments, allowing them to capture detailed views of the Earth’s surface. This optical data is invaluable for monitoring changes in the landscape due to volcanic activity, such as the shift in terrain and the spread of volcanic materials like ash and rock.
By combining the data from both Sentinel-5P and Sentinel-2, scientists have been able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Mount Etna’s eruption, both from an atmospheric and a surface level. These dual perspectives provide crucial insights into the eruption’s overall impact, helping to predict future volcanic hazards and improve disaster response strategies.
Mount Etna’s Activity: A Continuing Threat to Europe
Mount Etna’s eruption in 2025 is just another chapter in the volcano’s long and tumultuous history of eruptions. As one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Etna regularly experiences eruptions of varying magnitudes. Over the years, its eruptions have significantly affected both local populations and the environment. Ash clouds from Etna’s eruptions frequently disrupt air travel across Europe, and the ash also poses a health risk to nearby communities, especially for those with respiratory issues.
Furthermore, the eruption’s emissions of sulphur dioxide and other gases have a broader environmental impact. These gases contribute to air pollution and can affect global climate patterns. While the emissions from a single eruption may seem small, frequent volcanic events like this can accumulate over time, influencing both local and global ecosystems.
See Mount Etna’s eruption from SPACE: Incredible satellite images reveal the moment the volcano spewed a gigantic plume of ash more than four miles into the sky – sending tourists running for their li
Incredible satellite images reveal the moment Europe’s most active volcano spewed a gigantic plume of ash four miles (6.5km) into the sky. The terrifying photos were captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite as it passed overhead just minutes after the eruption began. At 11:24am local time, experts believe that a large part of the southeastern crater collapsed, triggering an avalanche of rock and ash known as a pyroclastic flow.Luckily, in this instance, the flow was not large enough or travelling in the right direction to cause any harm or damage. A red aviation warning was briefly issued by the Volcanic Ash Centre after the ash column rose over four miles into the air, but no flights currently have been disrupted. The eruption ultimately proved to be harmless, but the images show the immense destructive potential of the 10,800ft (3,300 metres) volcano. The volcano erupted yesterday afternoon and sent tourists fleeing for their lives as the huge cloud billowed behind them.
Mount Etna unleashed a spectacular eruption yesterday afternoon which sent tourists fleeing for their lives.
Now, incredible satellite images reveal the moment Europe’s most active volcano spewed a gigantic plume of ash four miles (6.5km) into the sky.
The terrifying photos were captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite as it passed overhead just minutes after the eruption began.
Although the eruption ultimately proved to be harmless, these images reveal the immense destructive potential of the 10,800ft (3,300 metres) volcano.
At 11:24am local time, experts believe that a large part of the southeastern crater collapsed, triggering an avalanche of rock and ash known as a pyroclastic flow.
In the before and after images, you can clearly see how the eruption sent a vast plume of ash into the air covering a large area with fresh ash.
In the photos, the dense cloud of ash rising from the summit crater is partially covered by a ‘pyrocumulus cloud’, a type of storm cloud formed by the intense heat of volcanic eruptions.
Meanwhile, infrared imagery captured the intense heat of the active lava flows descending eastwards into Mount Etna’s Valle del Bove.
Satellite images show Mount Etna before (left) and after (right) the volcano erupted yesterday afternoon
From the early hours of Monday morning, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) Etna Observatory reported a number of explosions of ‘increasing intensity’ emerging from the volcano.
Video captured by tourists walking near the crater recorded the booming sounds of an eruption and showed a huge column of ash rising into the sky.
Terrified hikers turned and ran for their lives as the huge cloud billowed behind them.
Writing in The Conversation, Dr Teresa Ubide, of The University of Queensland, says: ‘The eruption began with an increase of pressure in the hot gases inside the volcano. This led to the partial collapse of part of one of the craters atop Etna.
‘The collapse allowed what is called a pyroclastic flow: a fast-moving cloud of ash, hot gas and fragments of rock bursting out from inside the volcano.’
Pyroclastic flows can be extremely dangerous as they travel at average speeds of 60 miles per hour (100 kmph) and can reach temperatures up to 1,000°C (1,800°F).
Luckily, in this instance, the flow was not large enough or travelling in the right direction to cause any harm or damage.
Sicily’s president, Renato Schifani, said experts had assured him the flow posed ‘no danger to the population’ and had not passed beyond the Valley of the Lions, the point where tourist groups stop.
Following the pyroclastic flow and ash cloud, the mountain produced plumes of lava which flowed down the mountain. This image is a ‘false colour’ composite of infrared data, revealing the heat of the lava flows
After erupting, the lava split into three streams, one travelling south, another east, and the last heading north and branching into several arms
A thermal imaging camera captured the lava escaping from Mount Etna during the eruption
It was the eruption of this pyroclastic flow which kicked up the ash cloud which can be seen from space in the satellite imagery.
The cloud, which mainly contains water and sulphur dioxide, was recorded by the INGV to be ‘drifting towards the southwest’ after the eruption began.
The INGV said in a statement that ‘the falling of a little thin ash has been flagged’ in the Piano Vetore area – a popular wildlife park on Etna’s southern flank.
Meanwhile, as satellite images reveal, the eruption scattered a large amount of ‘fine reddish material’ produced by the pyroclastic flow over the northwest.
A red aviation warning was briefly issued by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre after the ash column rose over four miles into the air, but no flights have currently been disrupted.
Following the pyroclastic flow, the eruption also produced plumes of hot molten lava.
Dr Ubide says: ‘Lava began to flow in three different directions down the mountainside. These flows are now cooling down.’
Using shortwave infrared cameras the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite created a ‘false colour’ composite to show the intense heat of these flows.
Shocking footage showed tourists fleeing for their lives as the pillar of ash and dust rose behind them
Taken at 09:40 UTC, this image shows the lava flow barely beginning to branch as it escapes from the crater.
In a blog post sharing the images, Copernicus says: ‘Copernicus data is key to tracking global volcanic activity, helping communities to assess hazards, support emergency response operations, and monitor long-term changes to landscapes.’
According to a statement issued by INGV yesterday evening, the eruption activity has now come to an end.
The INGV says: ‘From a seismic point of view, the tremor has returned to low values although showing some oscillations on the average values.’
The statement adds that ‘deformation’, rising of the land due to the buildup of pressure which often proceeds an eruption, now appeared to be ‘exhausted’.
Mount Etna, located on the eastern coast of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes worldwide and has been going through an especially active period for the last five years.
Last summer, the volcano caused chaos at nearby airports as they were forced to limit and divert flights as pilots struggled with visibility.
A usually busy Catania airport had to send flights to other airports on the island, such as Palermo and Comiso.
Although the eruption terrified tourists, authorities say nobody was harmed by the pyroclastic flow or lava
This is Mount Etna’s 14th eruptive phase in the last few months, with the most recent dangerous eruption taking place last summer
Arriving flights were reduced to six per hour and one section of the airport was closed, while local towns were also covered in a blanket of black ash.
The 500,000-year-old volcano has been spewing lava during repeated outbursts in May before today’s explosion.
Etna’s most destructive eruption covered 14 villages and towns in lava flows and earthquakes from the volcano.
The eruption, which lasted several weeks, killed nearly 20,000 people, with thousands more made homeless, according to records from 1669.
Mount Etna’s Violent Eruption Captured From Space, ESA Shares Picture
Europe’s tallest volcano, Mount Etna, erupted in the Sicilian Island in Italy on June 2, forcing tourists to run for their lives. The eruption reportedly began around 11:24 am local time as the volcano started spewing an avalanche of pyroclastic material into the sky. The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared a picture of the volcano captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission satellite. There were no reports of injuries so far, the mayor of Sicily’s Catania municipality told The Independent – “There is no criticality, it is a phenomenon that repeats itself” The eruption reached an altitude of 6.5 kilometres by 12 pm local time. The Etnean Observatory said in an update that the eruption stopped around 4:56pm local time local time and that no one was injured.
Europe’s tallest volcano, Mount Etna, erupted in the Sicilian Island in Italy on June 2, forcing tourists to run for their lives. The eruption reportedly began around 11:24 am local time as the volcano started spewing an avalanche of pyroclastic material (hot lava, gas and ash) into the sky. According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the eruption resulted from “a collapse of material from the northern flank of the south-east crater.”
🇮🇹 Meanwhile in Italy
Mount Etna just erupted again as tourists frantically flee the side of the volcano.
Millions more tonnes of natural Co2 spewing into the atmosphere – but please keep believing yhat your red meat consumption is changing the weather. pic.twitter.com/O5PsLZgxXp — Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) June 2, 2025
Videos and pictures from the island showed tourists fleeing from the spot as the volcano split open, throwing out a towering ash cloud. The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in France revealed that the eruption reached an altitude of 6.5 kilometres by 12 pm local time.
Mount Etna’s eruption captured by satellite. Image: ESA
Interestingly, the eruption was so massive that it was visible from space. The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared a picture of the volcano captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission satellite. “Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, but there hasn’t been an eruption of this magnitude since 2014, according to the national Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology Observatory,” ESA said in a statement.
It’s wild to see a volcano erupting from space. I saw several during my 6 months, but Mt Etna’s violence yesterday was crazy. Reminding everyone that we live on a thin bit of cooled crust over a liquid rock inferno.
image: @esa Copernicus Sentinel-2https://t.co/NWLObPx3OX pic.twitter.com/F4DmmgHZBu — Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) June 3, 2025
ALSO SEE: Hundreds Of Tourists Flee As Active Volcano Mt Etna Erupts Triggering Memefest Online: Watch
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield also reshared the picture on X with the caption – “It’s wild to see a volcano erupting from space. I saw several during my 6 months, but Mt Etna’s violence yesterday was crazy. Reminding everyone that we live on a thin bit of cooled crust over a liquid rock inferno.”
European astronaut Tim Peake shared a picture of Mount Etna which he captured from the International Space Station during a past eruption. “I was able to photograph Mt Etna’s activity a number of times from the ISS but never on this scale,” he wrote.
I was able to photograph Mt Etna’s activity a number of times from the ISS but never on this scale.
📹Steve Turtle
📷 Tim Peake ESA/NASA #etnaeruption pic.twitter.com/oXxRHL8ivO — Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) June 2, 2025
Thankfully enough, there were no reports of injuries so far. Enrico Tarantino, the mayor of Sicily’s Catania municipality told The Independent – “There is no criticality, it is a phenomenon that repeats itself and, in light of the monitoring of the volcano, was already expected.”
The Etnean Observatory said in an update that the eruption stopped around 4:56 pm local time
ALSO SEE: Mount Etna Erupts in Italy And Twitter Is Back To Blaming 2020
(Image: ESA)
Huge volcanic eruption from Italy’s Mount Etna seen from the International Space Station
Mount Etna, a volcano on the Italian island of Sicily, has erupted, spewing ash and lava. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, which monitors volcanic activity in Italy, reported that the eruptions have been increasing in intensity. There was no immediate report of any risk to the local population, which is accustomed to Etna’s frequent eruptions.
Rome: Mount Etna, a volcano on the Italian island of Sicily, has erupted, spewing ash and lava, CBS News reported, citing the nation’s volcano monitoring body.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, which monitors volcanic activity in Italy, reported that the eruptions have been increasing in intensity and are now almost continuous.
As the situation developed, INGV Vulcani, the institute, said in a social media post that the “explosive activity from the Southeast Crater has become a lava fountain.” Infrared images captured by the institute show lava flowing down the mountain’s face.
However, there was no immediate report of any risk to the local population, which is accustomed to Etna’s frequent eruptions or to air travel, as per CBS News.
Video shared earlier on the institute’s Facebook page showed a massive plume of smoke and ash rising into the clear blue sky.
According ot CBS News, Mount Etna is considered the most active volcano in Europe, and the most active stratovolcano in the world. A stratovolcano — what many people think of when they hear the word volcano — is the conical type, often with a central crater, that is formed by layer upon layer of lava from repeated eruptions over the millennia.
Etna had a significant eruption just over a year ago, when it treated watchers to rare ring-like clouds puffed out by its crater, known as vortex bubbles.
Etna has erupted at least once every year for the past several years, sometimes covering nearby towns in a layer of volcanic dust, but causing no major problems otherwise.
Mount Etna’s terrifying eruption from orbit | Space photo of the day for June 4, 2025
On June 2, 2025 around 10 a.m. local time, residents of the island of Sicily began fleeing as Europe’s largest volcano suddenly erupted. The eruption was captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite. The ash cloud rose to a height of 21,300 feet (6,500 meters), almost twice as high as Mount Etna itself, standing at 11,000 feet (3,350 m) Data from the satellite also found sulfur dioxide in the plume as lava fountains flowed down the volcano’s eastern slope with a smaller flow to the south. The authorities announced there was no danger to the public and no injuries were reported.
On June 2, 2025 around 10 a.m. local time, residents of the island of Sicily began fleeing as Europe’s largest volcano suddenly erupted.
What is it?
Mount Etna’s eruption, captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, revealed massive plumes of ash and smoke, as lava streaked down the side of the volcano. The ash cloud rose to a height of 21,300 feet (6,500 meters), almost twice as high as Mount Etna itself, standing at 11,000 feet (3,350 m).
Data from the satellite also found sulfur dioxide in the plume as lava fountains flowed down Mount Etna’s eastern slope with a smaller flow to the south, according to ESA. The sulfur dioxide can create a volcanic smog that is hazardous to breathe.
Where is it?
Sitting on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, Mount Etna towers over the landscape below, with a diameter of 22 miles (35 kilometers).
The pyroclastic flow — a fast viscous mixture of gas, liquid ash and rock fragments — made it only a little over a mile (2 km) down the volcano, stopping in the Lion Valley, or Valle de Leone, which acts as a natural containment area. The flow traveled the entire distance in less than a minute at the eruption’s climax at 11:23 a.m. local time, according to the Associated Press.
Mount Etna erupted as huge smoke plumes and channels of lava streamed out of the Sicilian volcano. (Image credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2025), processed by ESA)
Why is it amazing?
Mount Etna has been erupting sporadically for centuries. Its volcanism has made for the stuff of legends, as one eruption is suggested to have held off the army of Carthage (now northern Africa) in 396 B.C., according to the Associated Press.
More recently, Mount Etna has been active in the past few months, with this eruption being the 14th episode since March 2025 after a 19-day lull. Experts consider this event a medium-sized eruption which probably started with the partial structural collapse of the southeastern crater. The authorities announced there was no danger to the public and no injuries were reported, though tourists hiking in the area began fleeing when rock and ash began exploding out of the volcano.
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ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite caught the eruption using its wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager that includes 13 spectral bands for imaging Earth’s vegetation and landscape, capturing historic moments like this one.
Want to learn more?
You can read more about Mount Etna’s eruptions captured from space satellites or seen from the International Space Station.