September 2, 2025 – Photo of Aunu‘u Island while on a flight from Tutuila to Ofu Island in American Samoa.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists took this photo of Aunu‘u Island while on a flight from Tutuila to Ofu Island in American Samoa on September 2, 2025. The view is from the south looking north. Aunu‘u Island is a tuff cone less than 1 mile southeast of Tutuila Island and is considered part of Tutuila volcano. A tuff cone can form when magma and water interact at shallow depths, causing localized explosions. While scientists do not know when the eruption that formed Aunu‘u Island occurred, the lack of erosional features suggests it erupted in the Holocene (within the last 12,000 years). The Village of Aunu‘u is located on the western side of the island, and is only accessible by boat. USGS photo by N. Deligne.