Gemini Cloud Camera Captures Volcano’s Dramatic Glow

Star trail image showing glow from volcanic eruptions in Hawaii (bright glow right of center). A bright meteor and the greenish glow of the town of Hilo can be seen left of center. Image produced by stacking about 100 images (about one hour) from a time lapse sequence obtained from the Gemini North telescope's cloud camera on the night of May 21-22. Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF star trail image compiled by Joy Pollard.

A camera used at the Gemini North telescope to monitor sky conditions from Hawaii’s Maunakea captured a remarkable time-lapse sequence of the Kīlauea volcanic eruption. The sequence shows the glow from an extensive region of fissures over the course of a single night (May 21-22). During the sequence, multiple fissures expelled lava in the area in and around Leilani Estates in the Puna district of the Big Island of Hawai‘i. The lava also flowed into the ocean during the period of the video.

The video, which was featured in news stories across the world, is available at: http://www.gemini.edu/images/pio/facebook/GeminiCloudCamera_20180521.mp4