A different kind of blast off! Tim Peake captures stunning image of an erupting volcano in Russia from International Space Station

  • Major Tim Peake took the picture of the Klyuchevskaya volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia
  • British astronaut is three months into his six month mission living 249 miles (400km) above the Earth
  • Previously he shared night time snaps of UK, France, Italy and other parts of Europe on Twitter 
  • Astronaut also managed to capture Mount Everest, saying it's 'harder to spot from space than you might think'

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When orbiting 249 miles above the Earth, the landscape below can look frighteningly small and fragile.

But this picture captured by British astronaut Tim Peake from the International Space Station proves that volcanoes look impressive even from space.

Poking out from a blanket of clouds, the smoking peak of the Klyuchevskaya volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula can be seen mid-eruption.

Towering more than 20,000 feet (6,000 metres), it is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world, yet its summit is clear of snow due to the heat of the magma rising up inside. The smaller surrounding mountains can be seen in the image still capped in snow and ice. 

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Astronaut Tim Peake captured an image (pictured) of the Klyuchevskaya volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia. The tip of the conical volcano can be seen poking out from the surrounding clouds and a plume of smoke is rising from it. The volcano is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world. The heat from inside has melted the snow that tops the surrounding mountains

Astronaut Tim Peake captured an image (pictured) of the Klyuchevskaya volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia. The tip of the conical volcano can be seen poking out from the surrounding clouds and a plume of smoke is rising from it. The volcano is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world. The heat from inside has melted the snow that tops the surrounding mountains

Since 2007 it has been in an almost constant state of eruption, spewing out plumes of ash and occasionally weak flows of lava. Its most recent period of unrest began earlier this month.

Posting the image on Twitter, Major Peake said: ‘Spotted a volcano smoking away on Russia’s far east coast this morning – heat has melted snow around top.’

It is not the first volcano Major Peake has captured on camera during this three months on board the ISS.

Last month he took an overhead snap of the Emi Koussi volcano and the Aorounga impact crater in Chad, Africa. Taken from a side-angle, however, the latest image of Klyuchevskaya reveals far more of the majesty that volcanoes can impose upon a landscape.

Last month Major Peake also captured images of the Emi Koussi volcano in Chad, but viewed from above it is hard to get a sense of the dramatic peak (pictured)

Last month Major Peake also captured images of the Emi Koussi volcano in Chad, but viewed from above it is hard to get a sense of the dramatic peak (pictured)

The volcano sits on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia (shown on the map). It is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world

The volcano sits on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia (shown on the map). It is one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world

The Klyuchevskaya volcano in Russia (stock picture) has been active almost continuously since 2007, spewing ash and slow moving lava from its summit

The Klyuchevskaya volcano in Russia (stock picture) has been active almost continuously since 2007, spewing ash and slow moving lava from its summit

STATS AND FACTS: THE ISS 

Construction of the ISS began on 20 November 1998.

It supports a crew of up to six, with crews split into groups of three.

The station orbits at a height of about 255 miles (410km).

It has a total mass of about 990,000 pounds (450,000kg) and has living space roughly equivalent to a five-bedroom house.

It completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100 miles (27,600km) per hour.

It has now been in space for more than 5,900 days, during which time it has completed more than 92,000 orbits of Earth, and has been continuously occupied for more than 13 years. 

Major Peake is more than half way through his six month mission in orbit and has developed a reputation for his stunning photography.

Earlier this month he said at times it felt more like looking down on the set of a science fiction movie than onto the Earth when he peered out of the windows of the ISS.

During his time in space, Major Peake has captured night-shots and weather events to selfies that have been taken more over the first three months of his six month mission. Last week, the British astronaut snapped a stunning picture of the UK

His latest image comes as Nasa has revealed stunning ultra-HD footage of the Earth taken from the space station. 

Filmed using 4K cameras, the videos give viewers a true sense of the view experienced by the astronauts themselves.

Major Peake has also beamed back a series of impressive images of the aurora taken from far above the Earth's atmosphere. 

His timelapse videos reveal the true beauty of the Northern and Southern lights in a way that can never be appreciated back down on Earth.

He has also posted pictures showing how light pouring from cities around the world can be clearly seen from Space. In cities such as London major roads extend like dazzling tentacles reaching out into the darkness.

Major Peake had plenty of opportunities to take an impressive shot of his home country on 8 April because the ISS passes over the same spot a total of 16 times in the day.

The ISS completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100mph (27,600km/h) per hour. 

He has also shared incredible images of Italy, France and other neighbouring European countries on Twitter, alongside the odd seflie of Major Peake himself.

Major Peake has also managed to capture Mount Everest from his space lookout. 

Tim Peake posted this picture on Twitter with the caption: 'I love this picture taken just before sunset - looks more like a movie scene than planet Earth'. Major Peake is three months into his six month mission living on the International Space Station (ISS) that completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100mph (27,600km/h) per hour

Tim Peake posted this picture on Twitter with the caption: 'I love this picture taken just before sunset - looks more like a movie scene than planet Earth'. Major Peake is three months into his six month mission living on the International Space Station (ISS) that completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100mph (27,600km/h) per hour

There's no place like home: Tim Peake snapped this stunning picture of the UK on 8 April (shown) from his current base on the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbited 255 miles (410km) above the Earth. The image (pictured) shows the lights of cities such as London blazing into space, with major roads like dazzling tentacles reaching out into the darkness

There's no place like home: Tim Peake snapped this stunning picture of the UK on 8 April (shown) from his current base on the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbited 255 miles (410km) above the Earth. The image (pictured) shows the lights of cities such as London blazing into space, with major roads like dazzling tentacles reaching out into the darkness

The bright lights of Europe: Major Peake had plenty of opportunities to take an impressive shot of his home country because the ISS passed over the same spot a total of 16 times on 8 April, when the photo was taken. He also shared a pretty shot of France (shown) with Paris burning brightly n the north of the country, and other parts of Europe on Twitter

The bright lights of Europe: Major Peake had plenty of opportunities to take an impressive shot of his home country because the ISS passed over the same spot a total of 16 times on 8 April, when the photo was taken. He also shared a pretty shot of France (shown) with Paris burning brightly n the north of the country, and other parts of Europe on Twitter

Upon sharing the snap of the curved 'boot' of Italy (shown above) Major Peake tweeted: 'Been some great night passes over Europe recently...I am waving'

Upon sharing the snap of the curved 'boot' of Italy (shown above) Major Peake tweeted: 'Been some great night passes over Europe recently...I am waving'

While the mountain in Nepal is the highest on Earth, at 29,029 feet (8,848 metres) above sea level, Major Peaks tweeted it's 'harder to spot from space than you might think.'

He asked Dave MacLean at the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) to confirm he snapped the right mountain.

Last month, Major Peake celebrated celebrating St Patrick's Day by sharing a photograph of Ireland.  

Last week, Major Peake managed to capture Mount Everest from his space lookout (right). While the mountain in Nepal is the highest on Earth, at 29,029 feet (8,848 metres) above sea level, Major Peaks tweeted it's 'harder to spot from space than you might think'

Last week, Major Peake managed to capture Mount Everest from his space lookout (right). While the mountain in Nepal is the highest on Earth, at 29,029 feet (8,848 metres) above sea level, Major Peaks tweeted it's 'harder to spot from space than you might think'

Tim Peake shared a photo of Ireland (pictured) from 255 miles (410km) above the Earth on the ISS to celebrate St Patrick's Day last month

Tim Peake shared a photo of Ireland (pictured) from 255 miles (410km) above the Earth on the ISS to celebrate St Patrick's Day last month

He tweeted: 'The Emerald Isle is looking lush and green from space...Happy St Patrick's Day to all down there!'  

Two months ago he captured storms raging across Europe and Africa in all their mesmerising beauty.

The British astronaut tweeted a timelapse of the footage, explaining that it's 'amazing how much lightning can strike our planet in a short time.'

It was filmed as the ISS travelled over North Africa, Turkey and towards Russia.

The ideal conditions for lightning and thunderstorms occur where warm, moist air rises and mixes with cold air above.

These conditions occur almost daily in many parts of the Earth and rarely in other areas, making certain regions more prone to strikes.

For example, parts of Africa including the Democratic Republic of the Congo have the highest frequency of lightning on Earth.

The photograph of the UK is one of many impressive scenes, ranging from countries and weather events to selfies, taken by Major Peake (pictured), who is more than three months into his mission on the ISS
The photograph of the UK is one of many impressive scenes, ranging from countries and weather events to selfies, taken by Major Peake, who is more than three months into his mission on the ISS (pictured)

The photograph of the UK is one of many impressive scenes, ranging from countries and weather events to selfies, taken by Major Peake (pictured left), who is more than three months into his mission on the ISS (right)

Earlier this year, as storms raged across Europe and Africa, Tim Peake captured them in all their mesmerising beauty from on-board the International Space Station. The footage was filmed as the ISS travelled over North Africa, Turkey and towards Russia (pictured)

Earlier this year, as storms raged across Europe and Africa, Tim Peake captured them in all their mesmerising beauty from on-board the International Space Station. The footage was filmed as the ISS travelled over North Africa, Turkey and towards Russia (pictured)

This is caused by air from the Atlantic Ocean hitting mountains as it blows across the region.

Nasa tracks lightning strikes using satellites fitted with sensors and information from these satellites is sent to staff on Earth.

During the 33-second clip, a spattering of flashes is seen on the horizon.

As the ISS soars towards Eastern Europe, the flashes become more intense and centralised and the cloud cover thickens.

More lightning occurs over land than water because the sun heats the land surface faster than the ocean. 

The heated land surface warms the air above it and that warm air rises to encounter cold air.

Researchers recently found that regardless of where in the world a person is, lightning bolts are at their most powerful at 8am. 

This is because there are fewer particles in the atmosphere overnight so it takes a more powerful charge to overcome the extra distance between these particles and release the bolt of power.

The ISS completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100 miles (27,600km) per hour. It typically visible as it flies over the regions in the clip between 6pm and 7pm local time. Lightning strikes are shown by the bright flashes in the centre of this image

The ISS completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100 miles (27,600km) per hour. It typically visible as it flies over the regions in the clip between 6pm and 7pm local time. Lightning strikes are shown by the bright flashes in the centre of this image

Major Peake, who is three months into his mission, has sent hundreds of photographs back to Earth, including the odd selfie. The astronaut is shown somersaulting during an interview at the start of his mission in the animation above

By comparison, more storms occur in the afternoon as solar heating charges a higher number of particles, but these storms are weaker.

Typical afternoon lightning might vary from 6,000 to 20,000 amps per ground flash but powerful morning lightning to ground strokes can average 30,000 amps.

Urbanised areas are also five per cent more likely to be hit by thunderstorms, on a given day, than rural areas of the same size.

Storms were more likely to hit these urbanised areas during warmer months, in July and August, in the late afternoon and early evening.  

During the 33-second clip, a spattering of flashes is seen on the horizon. As the ISS soars towards Eastern Europe, the flashes become more intense and centralised and the cloud cover thickens (pictured)

During the 33-second clip, a spattering of flashes is seen on the horizon. As the ISS soars towards Eastern Europe, the flashes become more intense and centralised and the cloud cover thickens (pictured)

These findings add further weight to the fact rising temperatures increase the frequency of storms, but also that increased pollution levels in urban areas play a major role.

In addition to pollution, urbanised areas cause more storms because they create 'urban heat-islands'.

Concentrations of buildings can increase temperatures causing low pressures to form above cities, compared to high pressures in rural areas. 

This causes a so-called 'low-level atmospheric convergence', which forces air up into thunderstorms.

Buildings may also change the flow and direction of winds, which in turn changes pressure levels and affects the upward movement of air.