Episode 23 lava fountaining at Kīlauea summit began around 4:30 p.m. HST on May 25. The episode was active into the evening, and this view shows the eruption at around sunset. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Shortly after the start of episode 23 at 4:15 p.m. HST on May 25, the lava fountain and assocaited gas and tephra plume towered over the summit caldera of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

The lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea during episode 23 on May 25 produced lava flows that rapidly covered portions of the western parts of Halemaʻumaʻu floor.  Eventually, lava flows reached into the eastern portion of crater before the episode ended at 10:25 p.m. HST on May 25. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This timelapse video (taken by the V3cam on the south rim of the crater) shows all of episode 23 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, which was active from 4:15 p.m. HST to 10:25 p.m. on May 25. Both the north and south vents in Halemaʻumaʻu erupted during episode 23. Lava fountains from the north vent reached heights of more than 1,000 feet (300 meters). Lava fountains from the south vent reach heights of more than 800 feet (250 meters). The eruptive plume was heavily laden with tephra (ash, scoria, and Pele's hair) and reached at least 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) in height. Lava flows from this episode covered about half of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). USGS video. 

Another view of the complex lava fountaining geometry during episode 23 at the summit of Kīlauea on May 25. The tall and low fountains on the right originate from the south vent, while the wider fountain on the left comes from the north vent, whose cone rim is visible at the bottom of the photo. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists observe the episode 23 lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea from the western caldera rim on May 25. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A view of the top of the north fountain (left) and the south fountain (right) during episode 23 at the summit of Kīlauea, showing the variable colors (and temperatures) of clasts forming the fountain. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Another telephoto view of the base of the north lava fountain, with the south fountain behind it to the right. Both the north and the south vents were active during episode 23 lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea on May 25. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A telephoto view of the top of the south lava fountain during episode 23 of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea on May 25.  The top of the fountain was an area of complex dynamics including fluctuating fountain height along with clasts separating from the fountain to be carried horizontally in the plume. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A view of the complex lava channels originating from the vents during episode 23 at the summit of Kīlauea. The channels near the top of the image come from lava fountaining at the south vent, while those at the bottom are from the north vent fountaining. The north vent fountain is visible at the right side of the photo. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This video compilation shows several clips of episode 23 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption taken by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory livestream cameras. During episode 23, which was active from 4:15 p.m. HST to 10:25 p.m. on May 25, both the north and south vents in Halemaʻumaʻu erupted. Lava fountains from the north vent reached heights of more than 1,000 feet (300 meters). Lava fountains from the south vent reach heights of more than 800 feet (250 meters). The eruptive plume was heavily laden with tephra (ash, scoria, and Pele's hair) and reached at least 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) in height. Lava flows from this episode covered about half of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). USGS video. 

Episode 23 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption in Halema‘uma‘u began with high fountains that deposited tephra outside the caldera to the southwest. Material was still molten as it fell on the landscape, evidenced by the fluid textures shown here. This clast, large enough to be called a volcanic bomb, is over 50 cm (almost two feet) long. USGS photo by K. Lynn.