Mount Etna sends amazing volcanic smoke rings billowing into the sky to the astonishment of tourists

Mount Etna put on a spectacular show for astonished tourists as they watched the volcano blow smoke rings into the sky.

The rare phenomenon - known as volcanic smoke rings - can only form in a circular volcanic vent and requires a calm atmosphere.

Despite the name, the rings are not technically made of smoke, instead they are made of condensed gases, mainly water vapour, that has escaped the magma and shot up from the volcano's vent.

The result of these hot volcanic gasses escaping suddenly from the circular vent in a short pulses is what creates the ring shape.

Volcanic smoke rings like this have been documented worldwide but multiple displays like the one at Mount Etna are extremely rare.

Even if a volcano has the capability to create smoke rings, strong winds will prevent them from forming.

The volcano, located on the island of Sicily at the southern tip of Italy, is Europe's most active volcano, rising 11,000 foot above the town of Bronte.

It erupts frequently and its explosions have been closely monitored and documented for more than 3,500 years.

During a six month period in 2021, Etna emitted so much volcanic material that it grew in height by almost 30 metres.

Etna's most destructive eruption was in 1669 when approximately fourteen villages and towns were destroyed by the lava flows or by earthquakes that followed the eruption.