Russian Volcano Grows 'Devil's Horns', Spews 1,000-Mile River of Smoke – Earth from Space

Two lava flows from the 2023 eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano give the mountain an ominous appearance, sending up a column of smoke 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) long. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Wanmei Liang and Lauren Dauphin)

This disturbing satellite image shows a “diabolical” Russian volcano spewing a 1,000-mile-long river of smoke into the Earth's atmosphere, a vivid testament to the volcanic power locked up in the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'.

The volcano, called Klyuchevskoy (or sometimes Klyuchevskaya Sopka), is an active stratovolcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, which is home to more than 300 volcanoes. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, Klyuchevskoy is 4,754 meters (15,500 ft) above sea level, making it the tallest volcano in Asia and Europe.

The satellite image was taken by NASA's Aqua satellite during a particularly active phase of the eruption, which lasted from June 22 to December 31, 2023. The unexpected burst of activity resulted in the release of two horn-shaped lava flows and a giant plume of smoke, ash and toxic gases, temporarily halting air traffic in the area.