As the highest volcano on the island of Hawaii, it is an ideal location for astronomical observatories.
Published Nov 30, 2015
Snow dusts the tops of volcanoes on Hawaii's Big Island.
Published Dec 26, 2014
A detailed astronaut photograph shows pyroclastic deposits on Hawaii’s Muana Kea Volcano.
Published May 18, 2009
Elevation matters when it comes to snow on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Published Mar 13, 2015Image of the Day Atmosphere Severe Storms Volcanoes Snow and Ice
Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on our planet—the summit elevation is 4,170 m (over 13,600 ft), but the volcano’s summit rises 9 km above the sea floor. The sharp features of the summit caldera and lava flows that drain outward from the summit are tribute to the fact that Mauna Loa is one of the Earth’s most active volcanoes. The most recent eruption was in 1984. The straight line the cuts through the center of the crater from top to bottom is a rift zone—an area that pulls apart as magma reaches the surface.
Published Jul 28, 2002
Geologists estimate that Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, has erupted about once every six years for the past three millennia.
Published Nov 1, 2015
