Picture of the Day: A New Island Is Born

A volcanic eruption the began underwater in mid-December has now grown above sea level, resulting in a small new island in the Red Sea about 40 miles off the coast of Yemen. Local fishermen first reported the eruption, which a satellite and a Yemeni Navy helicopter later confirmed. The above image, captured by Earth Observing-1 Satellite on January 7, 2012, shows the ash and steam coming out of the vent, and the cone-shaped island now peeking out above the water.

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Image: NASA.