19.-20. May 2009: Very Strong ActivityIn May 2009, Marco Fulle led a VolcanoDiscovery group to Pizzo with local Magmatrek guide Mario Pruiti. Strong activity at NE crater has formed a steep cone, erupting bubbles of very fluid lava. SW crater erupted tall ash columns with fine lapilli: occasionally ash rings were formed, a very rare phenomen, as that seen at noon of 20 May from Punta dei Corvi. All other photos were taken on 19 May between 7h20pm and 8h20pm from Bastimento, and then at 9pm from Pizzo (GMT + 2hr). The focal length of the used lenses helps to understand the scale (digital reflex camera with 16x24mm sensor). | |||
 A 200m-wide ash ring from SW crater (from Punta dei Corvi, f=10mm). |  Sunset and an eruption from the E vent of the new NE cone (Bastimento, f=10mm). |  Rockfalls trigger small pyroclastic flows from rim of the NE vent (f=20mm). |  Highly fluid lava bubbles burst within the eastern vent of new NE cone (f=200mm). |
 Rockfalls and avalanches of hot dust (rolling bombs at lower right, f=80mm). |  Sometimes the explosions at NE cone are very ash-rich (f=200mm). |  A small lava flow from the eastern vent emits bluish gas (f=200mm). |  SW crater erupts huge "ash mushrooms" (left). Low cloud deck at right (f=10mm). |
 Strombolian eruption at the western vent, while a lava flow emerges from the E vent (bottom; f=50mm). |  Strombolian eruptions at the western vent also eject very fluid, incadescent lava clots (f=200mm). |  Spectacular burst of hot and fluid lava at the eastern vent of new NE cone (f=50mm). |  Big rockfalls over the unstable lava flow trigger avalanches of very hot material (f=50mm). |
 A longer exposure highlights the lava flow and the complex structure of the eruptive bursts (f=50mm). |  After a few seconds, the entire NE flank of the cone gets covered by incadescent pyroclastic material (f=50mm). |  Continuous spattering at central crater, with strong glow from the western vent in NE cone (from Pizzo, f=50mm). |  Lava fountain at the NE cone western vent, and strong red glow from the lava flow at the eastern vent (f=50mm). |
| Copyright: M. Fulle. | |||