File:Plume from Sakura-jima, southern Japan (MODIS 2018-01-25).jpg

English: One of the world’s most active volcanoes, Sakura-jima rises more than 1,100 meters (3,609 feet) over nearby Kagoshima, Japan. The steep stratovolcano puts on a daily show for the more than 600,000 residents who live only 8 km (5 mi) to the west, dramatically releasing ash, steam, and sometimes lava in often-explosive eruptions. The volcano also frequently attracts lightening, which adds to the stunning – and dangerous – eruptive show. On January 18, 2018 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of Sakura-jima releasing a large plume of gray volcanic ash. The ash curled to the northeast after rising high into the atmosphere. The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program reported that nine events occurred at the Minamidake crater (Sakurajima volcano) from 15-22 January, two of which were explosive events. Plumes rose as high as 2.5 km (1.5 mi) above the crater rim and material was ejected as far as 500 m from the crater.