New Sakurajima Volcano Eruption as Seen from the Kyushu Observatory (Kyushu,Japan)

(May 8th, 2012) Volcano eruption earlier today as seen from the Kyushu Observatory on
Japans mainland. Info on the Sakurajima volcano below from wiki. I usually keep track of this volcano when uploading, one of the most active in the world.

Sakurajima (桜島?), also romanized as Sakurashima or Sakura-jima,[1] is an active composite volcano (stratovolcano) and a former island (now connected to the mainland) of the same name in Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan. The lava flows of the 1914 eruption caused the former island to be connected with the Osumi Peninsula.[2]

The volcanic activity still continues, dropping large amounts of volcanic ash on the surroundings. Earlier eruptions built the white sands highlands in the region.

Sakurajima is a composite mountain. Its summit is split into three peaks, Kita-dake (northern peak), Naka-dake (central peak) and Minami-dake (southern peak) which is active now.

Today’s Kita-dake is Sakurajima’s highest, rising to 1,117 m (3,665 ft) above sea level. The mountain is located in a part of Kagoshima Bay known as Kinkō-wan. The former island is part of the city of Kagoshima. The surface of this volcanic peninsula is about 77 km2 (30 sq mi).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakurajima