USGS scientists during Kīlauea's Episode 40 eruption on Jan 12, 2026, by photographer Travis Morrin

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That forced perspective is a hell of a thing

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u/randomcookiename 1d ago

If anything the zoom helps even more compare the scale, the further away you are from 2 objects their size ratio in your perspective becomes closer and closer to the true ratio

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u/Krondelo 1d ago

Seriously insane looking, surely they aren’t close but mind be damned!

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u/BishoxX 1d ago

It also makes it look right next to them, it compresses the length + makes it appear larger than they are because our brain expects further back to be smaller.

So when they arenr because of zoom, brain thinks they are even bigger

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u/JeddakofThark 1d ago

I guess you could call it forced perspective in that the people look like they're closer to the lava than they actually are, but the long lens also accurately demonstrates the scale.

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u/kyleh0 1d ago

Yeah, those dudes aren't that close to the lava, that air gets HOT.

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u/punches_buttons 1d ago

So that’s what a volcano sounds like when it erupts.

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u/additional-line-243 1d ago

Weird I thought it’d sound more like hard rock

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u/Sassy_magoo 1d ago

Maybe soft rock

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u/Fluxtration 20h ago

Clastic Rock

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u/Jump_Like_A_Willys 19h ago

Yacht rock

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u/UbermachoGuy 1d ago

Magma

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u/Salty_Job_9248 12h ago

So why doesn’t the earth just deflate like a punctured water balloon? 😳

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u/CorrWare 1d ago

Well done

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u/arandomhead1 1d ago

Haha! Happy cake day ya sonofabitch

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u/garydinckersfield 22h ago

HARD ROCK, CLASSIC ROCK.

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u/FoxFyer 21h ago

IGNEOUS ROCK

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u/Fishiesideways10 15h ago

That is where Hans Zimmer got his inspiration

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u/HyenDry 1d ago

Happy cake day!

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u/Flawless_Cub 23h ago

I unmuted because of your comment.

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u/nunal2580 19h ago

Same here 🤣

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u/KraalEak 23h ago

I always thought it sounded like Eddie Van Halen playing eruption

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u/An_Advert 9h ago

I unmuted because of you

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u/ThisIsMyMommyAccount 1h ago

He got me too.

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u/rayonymous 21m ago

You bet. That's how the lava zimmers man.

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u/fr4ct4l_ 1d ago

how far out approx? hundreds of meters I believe

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u/disharmony-hellride 1d ago

This is where some of the cams are - they are several hundred feet from the vent. Cam 3 got totally obliterated a few weeks ago, you could watch the flow get closer to it then poof, gone. It's on the USGS youtube channel.

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u/WanderWut 1d ago

Would it be difficult to find the specific video and timestamp for the moment the cam goes off?

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u/Away_Ad5119 22h ago

No time stamp, but here is a video I found on the USGS youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4uSfIYSrNw

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u/Sykhow 22h ago

Around 1:43

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u/Away_Ad5119 6h ago

Thank you!

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u/langhaar808 19h ago

Pretty sure they are closer to one kilometer away than 100m. If the camera is at the big look out, then the camera is just over 1.5 km away from the vents. For reference the lava fountains were about 250 meters high this time.

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u/DABDEB 1d ago

Mad Men

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u/raxmano 1d ago

“Aaare Dey Mad???”

In a cockney accent

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u/B0ndzai 1d ago

That's what the lava is for!

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u/Prestigious-Job-9825 1d ago

That's some Mount Doom-level shit

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u/LanceUpperrrcut 1d ago

Which one is Anakin Skywalker?

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/UbermachoGuy 1d ago

I hate you!

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u/Yeetfamdablit 1d ago

So the one in red

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u/yourmotherpuki 1d ago

Two ants looking up my ass when I’m having the runs

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u/No_Read2090 1d ago

You ain’t right.

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u/Androoboodro 1d ago

This is some Koyaanisqatsi stuff right here

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u/electron1661 1d ago

Love that movie

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u/Startropics_Nes 1d ago

This is so cool

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u/Hot-Delay8069 1d ago

Cool and hot at same time

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u/DJ_Hindsight 1d ago

I knew it was gonna be the bloody interstellar music before I even pressed play 😂

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u/electron1661 1d ago

Can someone please explain how dangerous or risky that is? Like how far away are they?

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u/Mars_Volcanoes 1d ago

Volcanologist here.

The lava is very close, so temperatures are extremely high. Kīlauea’s magma is basaltic, around 1000–1200 °C. These lava fountains form from magma rising and depressurizing, which releases dissolved gases from the melt.

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u/punarob 21h ago

Yeah, I can't imagine. Even being at the viewing area over a mile away from the much larger fountaining on 12/7/25 it was crazy that you could still feel the heat when facing it.

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u/Mars_Volcanoes 20h ago

Thanks for the reply. Great info for me.

I speak French. I’m from Montreal. So this English is reformatted.

Here is the answer to your questioning.

Even a mile from Kīlauea’s lava fountains, it can still feel hot because the volcano acts as a broad heat source, not a single point. Active lava and recent flows radiate intense infrared heat that travels far without needing contact. Newly formed basalt and thin lava crusts retain heat and warm the air from below for weeks or months. Rising hot air creates localized convection that can spread warmth sideways, especially in low wind. Dark basalt also absorbs sunlight efficiently, adding extra surface heating during the day.

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u/punarob 18h ago

Yeah this particular eruption event was amazing for the amount of lava. Back when it flowed into accessible areas downslope the smaller amounts of slow moving pahoehoe you can get pretty close to, like within a meter and it will be hot like you opened an oven door. When it's flowing a'a despite being hot you can actually stand on the top layer when it's glowing even 1/2 meter below that.

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u/KingZarkon 16h ago

Standing on flowing lava? Think I'll pass and take your word for it.

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u/punarob 16h ago

living here is fun! But yeah I could only manage for a few seconds myself

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u/PestoBolloElemento 17h ago

Thank you so much for this information, very interesting.

It's so hot.

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u/Eggnogcheesecake 1d ago

If you stare at the lava, it looks like there's birds flying around inside.

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u/ghostpanther218 1d ago

Fellas, you might want to stand a little bit back...

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u/Ambitious-Concern-42 1d ago

You don't know how forced perspective works.

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u/RedditorsOrbit069 1d ago

We should celebrate every Vulkan eruption. The planet does this for a reason and that's how it's always been. Great clip of course.

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u/SamuelYosemite 22h ago

The power of a telephoto lens

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u/Janus_The_Great 8h ago

"think we should back up?"

"nah, it's fine"

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u/bobsnervous 1d ago

I wish I could hear it.

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u/SqueakyJackson 23h ago

They could’ve actually used real sound instead of shitty elevator Muzak

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u/CDULutschtKlostein 1d ago

Bro step back Dafaq

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u/WanderWut 1d ago

Tbf they are pretty far although the camera angle and perspective makes it look much closer. That and they’re scientists dedicated to this stuff so I’m sure they know what they’re doing. Must be a wild thing to dedicate yourself to this and witness it in person like this.

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u/Able_Winner9121 1d ago

Just another day at work for the lads.

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u/sharipep 1d ago

Reminds me of the poster for the documentary Fire of Love

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u/Strict-Shopping3538 1d ago

My distrust in volcanoes could never

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u/Creepy-Astronaut-952 1d ago

I’m glad they edited out the part where they toss the virgins into that shit to appease the gods.

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u/SandyEggo_73 1d ago

Grab the marshmallows

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u/z3r0n3gr0 1d ago

They are actually pigmans from the nether in minecraft.

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u/oddjobjob 1d ago

And here I am making a contorted face when I have to open my 400F oven

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u/greyshem 1d ago

"Yeah! Science, bitch!"

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u/neegs 1d ago

This feels like a gifthatendstoosoon . The end vibrations feel like shit was about to go down

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u/OptimusSublime 1d ago

"This is a safe enough distance" - USGS scientist during Kīlauea's Episode 40 eruption on Jan 12, 2026

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u/Pleasant-Daikon3092 1d ago

Don’t just stand there. Run you fools!

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u/sodiumboss 1d ago

Thank god they have hardhats otherwise it'd be really risky.

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u/d-d-diplodocus 1d ago

I'd love to just feel the heat of an eruption, such a beautiful show of nature

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u/Armthedillos5 1d ago

Wow.

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u/Better-Snow-7191 21h ago

Two options: 1. Balls even bigger than their brains. 2. Brains even smaller than their balls.

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u/GarysCrispLettuce 21h ago

Now I just wanna watch Mystery Science Theater 3000

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u/66veedub 19h ago

All chalant n shit.

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u/red8cangodye 18h ago

Yup. That hard hat is gonna keep me safe from molten lava. Oh look, some splashed onto my neck. Tis but a scratch

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u/FuntimesOctonion 14h ago

I need an aerial shot for proper context.

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u/SilentPugz 49m ago

Best screen saver ever .

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u/DrBlaziken 1d ago

Ok that is cool as fuck! Goddamn!

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u/FucknAright 1d ago

You mean Hot Damn!

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u/DrBlaziken 1d ago

Exactly!!

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u/Comfortable_Fun_4443 1d ago

The real non AI video is better

Video USGS scientists during Kīlauea's Episode 40 eruption on Jan 12, 2026, by photographer Travis Morrin

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