Hawaii's Mauna Loa: Jaw-dropping images show volcano’s eruption from space

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Hawaii's Mauna Loa: Lava erupts, creates massive flows in aerial video

Video shot by Paradise Helicopters Wednesday shows Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano erupting, sending lava high into the air.

Satellite images give a birds-eye view of Mauna Loa's continued eruption. 

The world's largest active volcano began to erupt for the first time in nearly 40 years in November, although the U.S. Geological Survey maintained Tuesday that no property is at risk.

Colorado-based Maxar Technologies shared nighttime satellite images showing brightly colored lava flows on Monday. 

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In addition, the European Space Agency shared a composite image from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data created using shortwave infrared bands to highlight the lava flow. 

The NASA Earth Observatory said the eruption was visible to NASA and NOAA satellites orbiting hundreds of miles above the surface and a volcanologist at Michigan Tech said that the effusive eruption's initial phase injected some sulfur dioxide to high altitudes.

The European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite on Nov. 28, 2022, captured a view of the Mauna Loa eruption that uses infrared data to emphasize the lava.  ((Image credit: ESA))

Sulfur dioxide is a pungent gas that reacts with oxygen and water to form vog.

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HAWAII, USA- NOVEMBER 30: A view from Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, began to erupt overnight, prompting authorities to open shelters "as a precaution" on November 30, 2022 in Big Island of Hawaii, United States.  ((Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))

The eruption of Mauna Loa has temporarily knocked out power to the world's premier station that measures heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Still, officials said Wednesday that it won't be a problem.

Air quality there is generally good, but being monitored carefully. Parts of Hawaii's Big Island were under an ashfall advisory.

Residents have been told to be prepared in the event of a worst-case scenario. 

A view from Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, began to erupt overnight, prompting authorities to open shelters "as a precaution" on November 30, 2022 in Big Island of Hawaii. ((Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))

Hawaii County Civil Defense announced that it opened shelters because it had reports of people evacuating from along the coast on their own initiative.

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"Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s hair may be carried downwind," Gov. David Ige warned." So certainly we would ask those with respiratory sensitivities to take precautions to minimize exposure."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.