Smiley Face Appears Inside Volcano In Hawaii

Say cheese! Hawaii's Kilauea volcano was all smiles for its close-up last week.

As videographer Mick Kalber with Paradise Helicopters flew over the 80-foot-deep crater on Wednesday, he shot what clearly looks like a smiley face.

Currently erupting, Kilauea is the most active of the five volcanoes that comprise the island of Hawai'i. The caldera (a very large crater formed by collapse) is about 2 miles wide and more than 3 miles long.

Webcam images over the past 24 hours show persistent glow at long-term sources within the crater.  While eruptive activity continues, the flow extending southeast continues to the ocean and poses no threat to nearby communities, according to the USGS.

Aside from steep, uneven terrain, visitors viewing the new ocean entry are exposed flying debris created by the explosive interaction between lava and water. Also, the new land created is unstable because it is built on unconsolidated lava fragments and sand, according to the National Parks Service.

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• Hawaii