Satellites watch lava flows of Italy's Mount Etna volcano eruption (image)

An aerial view of a volcano eruption. Slight bits of bright red lava are seen coming from the top of the volcano.

On Sunday (Nov. 12), Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano began belching out lava flows and ash clouds. The next day, the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captured those lava bursts in infrared.

The European Space Agency’s Sentinel program currently consists of eight satellites, launched between 2014 and 2020. The satellites' eyes are turned down toward Earth, constantly monitoring the planet’s surface. They watch everything from weather and ocean conditions to surface ice and air quality.