Capelinhos

Capelinhos
Capelinhos
Highest point
Elevation	501 m (1,644 ft)
Coordinates	38°36′04″N 28°50′02″W / 38.601°N 28.834°W
Geography
Location	Faial Island, Azores
Parent range	Capelo Volcanic Complex
Geology
Rock age(s)	between September 27, 1957 (age 67) and October 24, 1958 (age 66)
Mountain types	Surtseyan (from 27 September 1957 to 13 May 1958); Strombolian (from 14 May 1958 to 24 October 1958);
Last eruption	1957 to 1958

The Capelinhos (from Capelo + -inhos diminutive, which literally means "little cape") is a monogenetic volcano located on the western coast of Faial Island in the Azores. It is part of the larger volcanic complex of Capelo, which includes 20 scoria cones and lava fields that are aligned west-northwest to east-southeast from the Caldeira Volcano caldera. Although the name "Capelinhos" is associated with the volcano, it technically refers to the western cape of the parish of Capelo. It can be considered the westernmost point of Europe; there are more westerly islands in the Azores archipelago but they lie on the North American Plate.

A volcanic eruption lasted for 13 months, from September 27, 1957 until October 24, 1958, which may have been two overlapping volcanic eruptions. While enlarging the land by 2.4 km², it spawned 300 seismic events, hurled ash 1 km, destroyed 300 houses in the parishes of Capelo and Praia do Norte and caused the evacuation of 2,000 people (emigration to the US and Canada). On October 25, the volcano entered a period of dormancy. It is a part of an active fissural volcanic complex which creates multiple seismic and volcanic events.