The images are nothing less than astounding – so unreal appearing in fact that the reaction of many people is to conclude they are fake. However, volcano-induced lightning is a very real phenomenon and one that is not well understood.
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland erupted last month and that event was followed by a larger eruption on Wednesday, April 14th. While not a big eruption by most standards, volcano-induced lightning was once again photographed.
Images of the light show put on by Eyjafjallajokull were taken by many photographers including the Associated Press as well as astronomer and volcano expert Marco Fulle. Fulle’s images – click here to view them – show lightning shooting from the ash plume as the stars pass overhead in an amazing display of nature’s fury.
In May of 2008 the Chaitén volcano in Chile erupted for the first time in more than 9,000 years. In an impressive explosive eruption, nighttime images taken by Carlos Gutierrez displayed lightning shooting from the rising plume of ash, smoke and steam. So incredible were the images that many believed they were digitally manipulated even prompting myth-busting website Snopes to issue a story explaining that they were real.