etnaboris
The protagonist
Can you imagine that just three years ago, that huge black cone occupying the left half of this photo was not there at all? We call that thing the "New Southeast Crater", a distinction necessary because there is also an older cone, the original cone of the Southeast Crater, which is now largely buried under the new cone. When seen from the southeast, the new cone absolutely dominates the Etnean skyline, appearing considerably taller than the older cone of the Northeast Crater, seen to the right. However, at 3329.6 m, the Northeast Crater is still the highest point on Etna - which it has been since 35 years - whereas the new Southeast Crater cone stands at approximately 3280 m.
The view here is from the highway Catania-Messina, taken near the village of Linera, at sunset on 7 December 2013. The dark streaks extending downslope from the black cone are lava flows emitted during the recent episodes of lava fountaining (paroxysms) at the New Southeast Crater, the youngest, at left, is of 2 December 2013.
The protagonist
Can you imagine that just three years ago, that huge black cone occupying the left half of this photo was not there at all? We call that thing the "New Southeast Crater", a distinction necessary because there is also an older cone, the original cone of the Southeast Crater, which is now largely buried under the new cone. When seen from the southeast, the new cone absolutely dominates the Etnean skyline, appearing considerably taller than the older cone of the Northeast Crater, seen to the right. However, at 3329.6 m, the Northeast Crater is still the highest point on Etna - which it has been since 35 years - whereas the new Southeast Crater cone stands at approximately 3280 m.
The view here is from the highway Catania-Messina, taken near the village of Linera, at sunset on 7 December 2013. The dark streaks extending downslope from the black cone are lava flows emitted during the recent episodes of lava fountaining (paroxysms) at the New Southeast Crater, the youngest, at left, is of 2 December 2013.