It was after sunset when we pulled into the Jaggar Museum parking lot for the second time. My husband and I were on a mission to see the glow of the Halema’uma’u Crater after a friend suggested that we “had to stay and see the glow of the volcano.”
We didn’t really know what to expect when we heard about “the glow” but the moment that we stepped out of the car, sure enough, we saw the orange glow that lit up the sky. Standing at the rim of the Kilauea Caldera, which is just over 4,000 feet above sea level, it can get pretty cold at night, and it’s windy too, so if you’re staying after dark make sure to dress appropriately.
We stood at the rim in silence and in complete awe. Only a few hours before, we were able to view the volcanic gases rising far above the crater rim, and now in the cover of darkness the extreme heat from the lava lake below created a magnificent glow within the billowing plume.
Amazing, right?
Have a Happy Fourth of July!
Aloha!
Pictures and Plane Tickets 
Absolutely amazing and your pictures are great! It’s worth hanging in there till dark 🙂 Happy Independence Day! 🙂
Thanks, Kristina! 🙂 It is worth it, and worth the LOOOOOONG drive home! 😉
Still the best thing I’ve ever had the chance to photograph. Thanks for taking the time to research this amazing wonder in Hawaii and always taking my love of photography into consideration. I knew you loved me when I looked over and your shivering from the cold, but not saying a word as you could see just how happy I was to be experimenting with setting after setting until we got the perfect photo. Love you.
Me too! It was one of the coolest things we have ever seen! I liked how we turned the long exposure into a game. We can always keep ourselves entertained and laughing that’s for sure. I like how both of our photography skills are improving! You’re still wayyyyyy better than me, but I have a pretty awesome teacher! 🙂