Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

Italy's volcanic Mount Etna spews lava during an eruption on the southern Italian island of Sicily on April 11, 2013. Mount Etna is Europe's tallest and most active volcano.

Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

A round circle of smoke coming from the mouth of Etna is seen in the sky during an eruption on the southern Italian island of Sicily on April 11, 2013.

Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

See more photos of Mount Etna's eruptions on PhotoBlog.

Chris Hadfield / CSA via Twitter

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield snapped this photo of Italy's Mount Etna from the International Space Station.

By Becky Oskin
Our Amazing Planet

Astronaut Chris Hadfield, the planet's most popular space shutterbug, snapped a spectacular photo of Italy's Mount Etna volcano streaming ash toward the sea early Thursday.

The volcano experienced the latest in a series of strong paroxysms, or short violent bursts, on Wednesday. For the first time, explosions and ash spewed into the air from Mount Etna's Voragine crater, while webcams trained on the fiery summit showed activity at Bocca Nuova crater as well.

Mount Etna's current eruption started with a stunning dawn lava fountain on Feb. 19, caught on video, followed in quick succession by three more paroxysms over the next two days. Then, on Feb. 23, lava fountains shot out from Bocca Nuova crater to a height of more than 2,600 feet (800 meters).

Ash cloaks the volcano's snow-covered slopes, but not enough to deter skiers. Small lava flows have also emerged from the most active craters. The volcano has four distinct craters at its summit: the two central craters, Bocca Nuova and Voragine; the northeast crater; and a new southeast crater.

Hadfield, an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency, is aboard the International Space Station. He regularly posts amazing images of Earth on his Twitter feed.

Slideshow: Month in Space: February 2013

See more of astronaut Chris Hadfield's photos from the International Space Station, plus lots of other cosmic views, in the Month in Space Pictures slideshow for February.

Launch slideshow

Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.

• Astronaut's Amazing Photos of Earth From Space
• Image Gallery: Volcanoes from Space
• 50 Amazing Volcano Facts

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Davide Caudullo / AP

In this photo taken Monday, April 23, lava flows during an eruption of the snow capped Mount Etna volcano, near the Sicilian town of Catania, southern Italy.

See more PhotoBlog posts on the Mount Etna volcano's recent activity.

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Salvatore Allegra / AP

The snowcapped mount Etna erupts not far from Zafferana Etnea village, in Italy, on April 12.

Salvatore Allegra / AP

The snowcapped mount Etna erupts not far from Zafferana Etnea village, in Italy on April 12.

The south-eastern crater, born in 1971, has been the most active in the last few years. In the recent past lava flows have mainly damaged properties, but due to its slow speed lava has not killed human beings. So far Italian authorities have not issued any warning of dangers for houses and people.

See a visual history of Mount Etna's past eruptions on PhotoBlog.

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Reuters

Mount Etna spews volcanic ash during an eruption on the southern Italian island of Sicily, April 1.

Mount Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, erupted again for the fifth time this year. Although lava and ash were spewed forth, air traffic was not disrupted as it was in February.

Reuters

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Mount Etna erupted Wednesday creating a spectacular light show that was visible from hundreds of miles around, La Repubblica reported. The eruption of the snow-covered volcano on the island of Sicily continued Thursday although its intensity seemed to be diminishing, according to the Italian newspaper.

The airport in the nearby city of Catania was temporarily closed, stranding the Roma soccer team in the city overnight. The club had returned to Sicily to complete a Serie A match against Catania that was halted by a storm last month. "Every time we come to Catania something happens," coach Luis Enrique told reporters. Click here to read the full report from La Repubblica in Italian.

All photos by Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

Mount Etna spews lava on the southern Italian island of Sicily on Feb. 9, 2012. Mount Etna is Europe's tallest and most active volcano.

Etna erupted 18 times in 2011 and Wednesday's was the second such event this year. See PhotoBlog images and video of the previous eruption in early January.

Antonio Parrinello / Reuters

Mount Etna spews volcanic ash during an eruption on the southern Italian island of Sicily on Jan. 5, 2012. Mount Etna is Europe's tallest and most active volcano.

Mount Etna erupted on Thursday for the first time in 2012, forcing the temporary closure of Sicily's busiest airport, the Italian news agency ANSA reports. Europe's tallest active volcano spewed spectacular fountains of lava and sent up a plume of black smoke rising 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) above sea level. That prompted authorities to limit air traffic to Sicily's Catania Airport until midday, ANSA reported. Etna erupted 18 times during 2011, according to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. 

See more volcano eruptions on PhotoBlog.

Marcello Paternostro / AFP - Getty Images

Lava spewed from a crater of the giant Etna volcano in the southern Italy island of Sicily on Saturday, July 30, near Catania. The lava flown into a valley overnight and did not represent a danger to inhabited areas. Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe at 10,810 feet which last eruption was in May.

Marcello Paternostro / AFP - Getty Images

Lava spewed from a crater of the giant Etna volcano in the southern Italy island of Sicily on Saturday.

 See more volcano images on PhotoBlog here.