Mount Etna and Vesuvius caught erupting from space

By Dean Murray

An astronaut has captured spectacular images of volcanoes from space.

European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot shared views on Wednesday, May 27, of Mount Etna and Vesuvius from 250 miles above the Earth.

The International Space Station crew member said: "From orbit, volcanoes are some of the most beautiful natural sights… Etna caught me by surprise one morning as I opened the shutters.

"The whiteness of its slopes… and that elegant plume of smoke which is a gentle reminder that it's only lightly, very lightly, asleep. I just had time to take a quick photo, but I kept an eye out for it the next day to capture a few more!

"Less than a minute later, and we're flying over Vesuvius, instantly recognisable by the vast crater, the path winding up to the summit, and, most of all, Naples spread out all around it.

She added: "A special thought for my fellow ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, who is from Catania, at the foot of Etna."

Mount Etna, on the east coast of Sicily, rises to about 3,357 metres and remains active, while Mount Vesuvius, near Naples in southern Italy, stands at about 1,281 metres and is one of Europe's best-known active volcanoes.

Frenchwoman Sophie has been in space since arriving at the International Space Station on February 14.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 11:27 AM.