Extremely strong activity 19.-22.10.1999The pictures on this page link to larger photos (usually 20 to 70 K). All times are local and approximate (+/- 30 mins). In order to give
an idea of the perspective, focal lengths of the camera lenses are given (e.g. f=28mm: wide angle lens). | |||
 19 Oct 1999 20h local. f=50mm from Monte Palestra mountain hut. Lava flows on the W slope of Etna. Magma bubbles from BN explode into the sky, with Andromeda, Aries and rising Jupiter from left to right. |  19 Oct 1999 21h local. f=28mm from Galvarina hut (1870 m) in the right foreground (a person with a flashlight is searching for wood near the hut). Saturn is rising on the right and Perseus on the left. |  20 Oct 1999 18h local. f=28mm from jeep road at Montagnola. A thunderstorm is rapidly approaching: wind-blown clouds in the sky resemble an enormous bird. |  20 Oct 1999 18h local. f=28mm from jeep road at Montagnola. Thin wind-blown clouds in the sky mask the sunset. |
 22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=50mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. Continuous fire fountains 100 m high spill from an active fissure 200 m long in the W side of BN. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=50mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. The fire fountains reach an height of 200 m. The white steam at their base is coming from a lava overflow on the NW BN rim. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=135mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. Molten lava emerges as straight jets for 50 m, before coagulating into meter-sized lava clots. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=135mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. Continuous fire fountains 100 m high spill from a fissure in the W side of BN. The liquid and gas phases separate in the air! |
 22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=135mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. A turbulent, ash-rich eruptive column rises into the sky for kilometers above 200 m high fire fountains. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=300mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. The fire fountains are so wide and so continue that they fill the image with red. The steam comes from a lava flow on the NW BN rim. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=300mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. Liquid streams of molten lava fly on straight jets for 50 m, before they coagulate into meter sized lava clots. |  22 Oct 1999 12h local. f=300mm from W rim of Cratere Ellittico. Paroxysm 4. Continuous fire fountains 50 m high spill from a fissure in the W side of BN. The lava is so hot that it remains red during its fall. |