14 DAY TRIAL // According to a new image captured with the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument aboard the NASA Terra satellite, it would appear that Mount Etna, the dreaded volcano in Sicily, Italy, may be gearing up towards a new eruption.
The photo above, snapped by ASTER on January 22, 2014, shows another burst of activity from the mountain, this time in the shape of a large plume of gas and ask rising diffusely over the active volcano. These materials appear to have originated in Etna's Northeast Crater.
The New Southeast Crater also appears to be released a plume of ash, albeit denser and smaller than the former. Geologists say that these signs of activity herald the release of new lava flows, which may flow down the slopes of Europe's most active volcano within the next few days.
This image was compiled in false-color, using infrared, red and green light filters. As such, vegetation appears red in this view, while relatively-young lava is dark brown or black. The light grey areas denote the location of the volcanic plume, while snow, as always, appears white.