Etna Volcano 2006

[FunnyTV2009]

what a...you don't want to stay there! nice video

[jaythesinger]

Do you have this on any other websites other than youtube? Really good, Five stars!

[Thomas2Reichart]

You can find it also on my "myvideo" site. But I guess the quality is not really better.

[Jezebel19]

unfassbar. wie nah du an der lava warst...

tolle bilder...!

[Shandchem]

Thomas, a most outstanding video with amazing nighttime lava images. You looked scaringly close to the lava flows in the final sequence! How hot did it feel?

[Thomas2Reichart]

While I was close to the flow it was really hot hardly to stand it! I was a bit afraid of my camera (and myself) as I saw that the "feet" of the tripod I used were melting and I decided to retreat...

[Shandchem]

Hi Thomas,

I recommend asbestos soled boots for your Christmas present! :-))

[NZMaorihaka]

At the end of the video, was that you? Or was it you taking the video. And also how close to the volcano/lave were you?

[Thomas2Reichart]

Yes, I'm the person on the video. The camera was placed on a tripod. The summit of Etna is a quite large area with different craters so it is difficult to say how close to the volcano - I would say I was on top ;-). However the lava flow was about 20 meters away, the explosive (flank) eruption site about 50 to 100 m and the main (South East) crater approximately 500 m.

[NZMaorihaka]

And also the whole video was taken with a camera, of course - was that your camera or a computer generated etc camera? But if it is your's, then how did you take it so close to the magma? That is quite dangerous (only if it was you).

[Thomas2Reichart]

It was my camera: in this case a Sony DCR-TRV60E (Mini DV): I guess it was not as close as you think. I used the 10-fold zoom for the close up shots. So I still was in a more or less safe position. By the way it is lava (magma is it called when it is still inside the mountain below the surface ;-)!)

Well Mount Etna is in most cases one of the more "friendly" volcanoes and not as dangerous as the explosive "black ash" volcanoes.

[Thomas2Reichart]

However there is a always some risk when hiking on active volcanoes. You just have to try to minimize it! You should always know the mountain, the actual eruption and also e.g. the weather conditions to stay safe!

[NZMaorihaka]

DId you have a dust mask on?

[Thomas2Reichart]

In this particular case not. A "gasmask" had been helpful at another place of this hike. For breathing in a few situation a handkerchief was helpful and also enough. The ash "laden air" was a danger to my camera equipment but not for myself. The helmet is also just to be more safe or have a safer feeling. You never know what happens next... also it looks quite safe.

Well I don't want to downplay the danger and health risks. Of course gases and ash can be hazardous!

[Tony87etna]

Bello! There are also new images