Volcano and Aurora in Iceland
Credit & Copyright:
Sigurdur H. Stefnisson
Sometimes both heaven and Earth erupt.
In
Iceland in 1991, the
volcano Hekla erupted at the same time that
auroras were visible overhead.
Hekla, one of the most
famous volcanoes in the world, has
erupted at least 20 times over the past millennium,
sometimes causing
great destruction.
The last eruption occurred only two years ago but caused only minor damage.
The green auroral band
occurred fortuitously about 100 kilometers above the erupting
lava.
Is Earth
the Solar System's only planet with
both auroras and
volcanos?