Chaiten Lightning

Another post on Chile's erupting Chaiten volcano. This must be one of the most stunning photos I've seen in a while.

As clouds of toxic ash and dust tower into the sky, they ionise the air, generating an explosive electrical storm. Colossal forks of lightning spark around the noxious plume as it spews from the volcano's crater, creating an image of raw, terrifying energy - as if the air itself were ablaze.

More pretty pictures and text here. Most recent news article.