Montagnola and Laghetto in evening light

strombolian activity at dusk

strombolian activity at dusk

SE crater seen near TDF area

SE crater seen from 2002 cone

new SE crater seen from top of older SE crater with superwideangle lens, Giarre behind

activity increases, bombs flying high above observer

new SE crater, now strombolians getting nearly continuous and gapless

Giarre and Sea below

coastline viewed through gap between SE and new SE crater

often big lava shreds from bursting bubbles coming out of only one symmetrical vent inmidst of new SE crater, remote thunderstorm lightning behind

sometimes such bursts are accompanied by loud noise and shockwaves

time to leave this absolutely incredible place before beginning Paroxysm intensifies

view from SW, below SE cone

view from SW, below SE cone

view from SW, below SE cone

Video and Timelapse compilations:

beginning of lava fountaining

suddenly huge lava bubbles are rising hundreds of meters and bursting with a shockwave, covering the complete SE crater with a lavabomb curtain

after such events the whole crater glows for some minutes

still glowing...

another bubble burst

wide angle view

lavabomb curtain raining down

fontaining proceeds for many hours

such a night paroxysm, especially under full moon in 2km distance like here is one of the most impressive spectacles of nature

our campsite, even with the hot lava fountains nearby it was a very chilly night

east side of crater

west side of crater under fire

emitting lava shreds

fisheye view includes full moon

the ash cloud moves into E direction

short time exposure freezes lava bombs

view to Catania-the whole landscape is bathed in intense red color from Paroxysm fountain

our campsite

red light reflection

all things are in reddish color, together with the blue full moon light it seems we were on an alien planet

eruption cloud unloads lapili and ash to the eastern side

still going...

but with beginning of dawn the activity dimishes strongly,what a pitty

weakly active SE crater with fresh lavaflow seen from top of 2002 cone

now activity changes from strombolian bursts...

lava flow between BN and SE in dawn

small lava bubble

advancing lava flow

new lavaflow in first sunlight

Aa lava is still advancing

Aa lava front

Aa lava is still advancing

Aa lava front

Aa lava front

sudden strong burst many hours after end of Paroxysm, tremor is still high

for one hour activity rams up in evening of the same day, bust calms down soon after

only silent lavaflows remaining the following night

now we have time to visit INGV Catania, from left to right:

Boris, Marc, Thorsten

walking into Valle del Bove

Monte Fontane

a small lavaflow remains the following days

visiting Alcantara gorge

Alcantara gorge

Orion constellation above silent Etna

SE under clouds, only the weak lavaflow remains

morning dawn on 22.11. with Comet ISON right above Mercury

first light on Etna

Sunrise

first light on Etna

colors of Fall with SE and N craters

in the evening of 22.11. suddenly strombolian activity starts...

...sometimes with not so small bursts

lava illuminated lenticular cloud

Mercury to the left, ISON to the right directly above cloud

blue hour with now cloud free new SE crater, incredible light

blue hour with now cloud free new SE crater

strombolian activity producing steam rings

at late forenoon Paroxysm no. 17 of this year began ->

strong ash- and lapilli fall into Taormina direction

cars are stopping even on the highway

high ash content and heavy discharge, sometimes lightning, but nearly no red lava

eruption column rising many kilometers high

heavy ash curtains falling back to earth

after only less than one hour activity calms down