Satellite image of Ubinas Volcano in Peru.
Caption by Holli Riebeek:"Free of vegetation, the gray and white lava-covered peak of the Ubinas Volcano looks like it could be located on the Moon or some other extraterrestrial body. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s EO-1 satellite captured this true-color image of the Peruvian volcano on July 24, 2010.

The barren summit hints at recent volcanic activity, and in fact, Ubinas is Peru’s most active volcano. Apart from venting ash frequently, Ubinas has erupted many times since 1550. The last eruption started on March 25, 2006. As a result of its frequent activity, the steeply sloped peak is coated with lava. A canyon on the southern slope is evidence of a collapse in the volcano’s past.

A small circular caldera crowns the volcano. A little more than a kilometer across, the caldera is defined by walls that range from 80 to 300 meters high. Dark-colored ash and tiny volcanic rocks (lapilli) carpet the crater floor. An ash cone rises from the center of the crater, casting a dark triangular shadow. Within the shadow of the ash cone lies a white, funnel-shaped inner crater that is 200 meters deep.