A violent volcanic eruption occurred in Tonga on January 14. The satellite Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) captured the diffusion of volcanic ash clouds. The composite image shows the ash cloud forming an umbrella cloud with a diameter of nearly 500 kilometers and the surrounding shockwaves are visible.

China sent the meteorological satellite into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on June 3, 2021. FY-4B, which is the first of China's new-generation meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit, is used for weather analysis and forecasting, and environmental and disaster monitoring. 

Watch this video from Weather China, the China Meteorological Administration's online weather service, to find out more.

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