Explanation:
From 400 kilometers
above
planet Earth, the Expedition 20 Crew
onboard the International Space Station
(ISS) was able to witness a
remarkable event from a remarkable vantage point --
the June 12 eruption of the
Sarychev Peak Volcano.
The active volcano is located in Russia's
Kuril Island chain,
stretching to the northeast of Japan.
Emphasizing the orbital perspective, this stunning color
stereo view
was made by combining two
images from the ISS and is
intended to be viewed with
red/blue
glasses (red for the left eye).
Punching upwards into the atmosphere at an early stage of the eruption,
the volcanic plume features a brown column of ash topped with a smooth,
bubble-like, white cloud that is likely water condensation.
Below, a cloud of denser grey ash slides down the volcanic slope.
About 1.5 kilometers of the island coastline is visible at ground
level.
The evolving
ash plume posed no danger to the Expedition 20 crew,
but commercial airline flights were diverted away
from the region to minimize the danger of engine failures from ash intake.
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