Turning Points · 1815
Mount Tambora Erupts
Mount Tambora, Sumbawa Island, Indonesia
What happened
On April 10, 1815, Mount Tambora produced the largest eruption in recorded history, according to NASA. The volcano had been active between 1812 and 1815, and the eruption left a huge caldera 6 kilometers wide.
Why it matters
Enough ash reached the sky to reduce sunlight and cool the Earth. The next year, 1816, became known as the year without a summer.
What came next
Indonesia's hazard zones around Tambora today are largely based on the 1815 eruption.
Did you know?
Before 1815 Tambora is estimated to have stood about 4,000 meters tall. Today its highest point is about 2,850 meters.
Timeline
- 1812Tambora becomes active.
- 10 April 1815The giant eruption forms a huge caldera.
- 1816Global cooling leads to the year without a summer.