Kilauea

The Kilauea Volcano is located in Hawaii. It’s found on Hawaii’s Big Island within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Kilauea has been erupting steadily since January, 1983. Lava erupting from the cone flows through a tube system down Pulama Pali about 11 km to the sea. This means that the Kilauea Volcano is a cinder-cone volcano.
The Kilauea is the youngest volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. Even though Kilauea has been erupting since 1983, it is a very small volcano. This volcano would only rest on the shoulder of its giant neighbor, the Mauna Loa volcano.
Some scientists thought to believe that Kilauea and Mauna Loa were connected. That is not true. Just recently, researchers found out that Kilauea has its own magma-plumbing system, extending to the surface from more than 60 km deep in the Earth.
Kilauea is the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. The first eruption from the Kilauea reported was made by William Ellis in 1823.
Since 1952, there have been 34 more eruptions that were reported. And since Kilauea’s eruption January 1983, Kilauea ranks among the world’s most active volcanoes. Who knows, it may even be on the top of the list!

Extra : If you go to Hawaii, you’ll actually have the chance to see the volcano. The viewing area is normally open daily from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., with the last car permitted into the parking area at 8 p.m.
For safety purposes though, visitors to the viewing area are strongly advised to carry two to three quarts or liters of water each. They’d also have to wear sturdy, closed-toe boots or shoes with socks, just so the lava/magma won’t burn them. Each visitor would need to carry at least one flashlight, in case you couldn’t see anything.
Be sure to wear long pants, a sun hat, and plenty of sunscreen! Oh… and by the way phone freaks, there is no cell phone coverage in the viewing area.

Fun Facts:
Hawaiian Meaning:
The Hawaiian name "Kilauea" means "spewing" or "much spreading," apparently in reference to the lava flows that it erupts.
Most Recent Eruption:
Continuous since January 3, 1983
Number of Historical Eruptions:
61, not counting the continuous lava-lake activity in Halema`uma`u crater
Summit Caldera:
The caldera itself has no Hawaiian name other than Kilauea but houses the famous crater, Halema`uma`u; "hale" is a house, "ma`uma`u" a type of fern. Kamapua`a, a jilted suitor of Pele, is said to have built a house of ferns over Halema`uma`u to keep Pele from escaping her home and causing eruptions. The ploy failed.
• Dimension: 6 x 6 km (outermost faults), 3 x 5 km (main depression)
• Depth: 165 m deep
• Age: probably several incremental collapses 500-210 years ago
Oldest Dated Rocks:
23,000 years old
Estimated Age of Earliest Subaerial Eruptions:
50,000-100,000 years
Estimated Age of First Eruption of Kilauea:
300,000-600,000 years before present
Hawaiian Volcano Stage:
Shield-forming stage