Lava erupting from a vent on the NE flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō travels thro...

Lava erupting from a vent on the northeast flank of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō travels through tubes to the coastal plain, where surface flows are currently active. Holes in the roof of the lava tube, called skylights, reveal the lava stream contained within. This photo shows the brightly incandescent orange-yellow lava stream as it travels from right to left and drops over a steeper incline. The roof of the tube is equally bright, and the slightly darker triangular-shaped feature at the center of the photo in the background is the gap between the lava stream and the roof (see the accompanying movie).