Kilauea Eruption 12/23/24

[TomK]

The last 10 minutes of camera A. I haven't verified if this is real, but it is pretty spectacular.

https://youtu.be/mPz5_xenE-c?si=EjoZrPuJJ9r1JAjN

PS. HVO just confirmed it lost camera "V3".

[kalianna]

More info on the demise of V3 from
https://bigislandnow.com/2025/12/08/afte...t-kilauea/

"As Episode 38 of the ongoing eruption sent fountains of lava and a plume more than 20,000 feet into the air, the widely viewed V3 summit camera was buried under roughly 50 feet of volcanic debris.

U.S. Geological Survey geologist Katie Mulliken of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the camera, positioned inside a hazardous, closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, was overwhelmed by tephra as intense eruptive bursts swept across the caldera.

“That’s why we use cameras in locations where it’s not safe for people to be during eruptions,” Mulliken said. “The camera was buried under 50 feet of tephra. There are pieces, but they’re too deep to recover.”

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

buried under 50 feet of tephra. There are pieces, but they’re too deep to recover.”

I’ve hired people to dig holes.  Dig 50 feet or 5 stories down looking for the charred remnants of v3?  I think I’d buy a new camera too if it’s in the budget, or maybe offer to name it the V3 Muskcam X.


Mauna Loa eruption, one of the largest in recorded history.

Viewed from Hilo, November 22
The 1935 eruption of Mauna Loa, as viewed from Hilo Bay by Kenichi Maehara, November 22, 1935.

   

[TomK]

I haven't seen that picture before. Thanks for sharing.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Monday night, new eruption is starting.
Small spattering from one vent, orange glow from second vent.
The v3 camera which was put out of commission in the last episode has been replaced:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc

[dan_c]

Monday night, new eruption is starting.
Small spattering from one vent, orange glow from second vent.
The v3 camera which was put out of commission in the last episode has been replaced:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc

Thanks!

[TomK]

Monday night, new eruption is starting.
Small spattering from one vent, orange glow from second vent.
The v3 camera which was put out of commission in the last episode has been replaced:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKuUyKt8mc

Did anyone check whether the new camera can focus automatically?

PS. They fixed it. Dynamic range isn't great, but credit to USGS for finding a replacement so quickly.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I drove up to HVNP last night, and arrived as the moon was about to set over Mauna Loa to the west.  Best I could manage with an iPhone, 3 second exposure, using the rock wall behind Volcano House as a motion stabilizer:

   

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

7 PM Tuesday.
One vent is starting to overflow, most lava in the last 24 hours.

From Hawaii Public Radio:

1. Kīlauea’s year of fountaining eruption

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park visitors watch the lava fountains from Uēkahuna overlook on Sunday, Nov. 9. (USGS / M. Patrick)
Today marks one year since the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea began putting out fountaining lava displays. It's the first eruption of its kind from Kīlauea in nearly 40 years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

“We've only had three similar eruptions in Kīlauea’s history where we've had these episodic fountains,” said Geologist Katie Mulliken of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Those eruptions from Kīlauea Iki (1959), Maunaulu (1969-1974), and Puʻuoʻo (1983-2018) had between 12 and 44 fountaining episodes. Puʻuoʻo holds the record for the most fountaining episodes, while Kīlauea Iki had the highest fountains recorded, at 1,900 feet.

The current eruption in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater has had 38 episodes so far, with its highest fountain measured during Episode 35 at 1,500 feet. Episode 3 produced the most volume of lava for the eruption, while the most recent episode on Dec. 6 nearly matched it in a much shorter timespan.

[HiloJulie]

And the 2025 Puna, Hawaii "Darwin Award" goes to:

"Kīlauea eruption shows 2 men walking through volcano’s restricted area"

https://bigislandnow.com/2025/12/25/live...cted-area/