Ruapehu volcano and Tongariro volcanic complex in New Zealand are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 37 crew member on the International Space Station. Mount Ruapehu is one of several volcanic centers on the North Island of New Zealand, but is the largest and historically most active. The 2,797-meter elevation volcano is also the highest mountain on North Island and is covered with snow on its upper slopes. The volcano is surrounded by a 100-cubic-kilometer ring plain of volcaniclastic debris that appears dark grey in the image, whereas vegetated areas appear light to dark green. Located to the northeast of the Ruapehu volcanic structure, the Tongariro volcanic complex (lower right) is currently in an active eruptive phase - the previous eruptive phase ended in 1897. Explosive eruptions occurred in 2012, which have been followed by steam and gas plumes observed almost daily. According to scientists, the volcanic complex contains multiple cones constructed over the past 275,000 years. The most prominent of these, Mount Ngauruhoe, last erupted in 1975. Like Ruapehu, the upper slopes of both Ngauruhoe and the upper peaks of Tongariro are snow-covered. Scattered cloud cover is also visible near Tongariro at lower right.