Wild spattering from a collapsing HornitoAfter a week of activity on Etna, the lava flow reached the floor of Valle del Bove cascading with spectacular lava falls from the steep walls of the vertical dikes named Serra Giannicola. At the vent, a hornito 3m tall grew thanks to mild spattering, and then collapsed during a spectacular strombolian eruption. As usual the pictures on this page link to larger photos and the lens focal length helps to understand scales. All times are local (GMT + 2 hr). | |||
 13 Sep 17h, f=28mm. The lava field at 2620m. A hornito 3m tall grew over the vent after mild spattering. |  13 Sep 18h, f=50mm. Like camel's humps, the old dikes of Serra Giannicola rise from the 2002 ash in front of the flow. |  13 Sep 19h, f=50mm. The dragon's crest of Serra Giannicola is illuminated by lava. Giarre in the background. |  14 Sep 19h, f=50mm. View over the lava field towards Giarre from the vent of the hornito and the lava flows. |
 13 Sep 18h, f=50mm from Serra Giannicola. With spectacular falls, the flow cascades into Valle del Bove. |  13 Sep 20h, f=50mm. The same view at night. Red blocks from the lava fall jump and crash on the left of the flow. |  13 Sep 20h, f=28mm. In the surreal lights of the red lava, the dikes of Serra Giannicola become an enchanted castle. |  13 Sep 20h, f=28mm. Steep dikes rise for half a km above Valle del Bove. Taormina and Giarre in the background. |
 13 Sep 21h, f=50mm. Suddenly the hornito starts to spatter (bombs are ejected also from a hole in its flank). Snow layers at right. |  13 Sep 22h, f=28mm. The hornito collapses, so that many bombs are launched towards the lava flow and ... us! |  13 Sep 22h, f=28mm. After having saved our backpacks and moved them to a higher spot, Tom admires the hornito's fury. |  13 Sep 22h, f=16mm (fisheye lens). View from Serra Giannicola (left) towards the flows and the spattering hornito (right). |
 14 Sep 18h, f=135mm. The hornito's lips are covered by white calcium sulfates because no spattering has occurred since many hours. |  14 Sep 19h, f=50mm. Many tourists visit the lava flows which now emerge from a short tunnel 30m long at the base of the degassing hornito. |  12 Sep 19h, f=28mm. Shortly after the vent the flow divides into two branches which embrace an island of solidified ropy lava. |  13 Sep 19h, f=28mm. At dusk, a photographer captures the best light on Etna. A small overflow is behind his back. |