A volcanic island on the coast of Japan, Niijima Island, has said to have swallowed a part of a neighboring island. NASA has recorded Niijima’s continuous eruptions, and photos from the Operational Lang Imager on Landsat 8 showed a stream of smoke coming from the island, and it has overtaken its neighbor.

Niijima, Japan’s newest island, is said to now have a size that is eight times bigger than when it first erupted from the waters. It erected from the waters of the Philippine Sea in November 2013.

The neighboring island, called Nishino Shima or Rosaio Island, is said to have first emerged from the waters some 10,000 years ago. The island’s last recorded major eruption was about 40 years ago.

Both the Niijima Island and the Nishino Shima Island are part of the Ogasawara Island Chain, which is located around 600 miles to the south of Tokyo. The chain is also a part of the “Ring of Fire” that consists of many volcanoes.

From the pictures taken, the two islands have somehow merged and red seawater marks the area where they are connected.

When the new island first emerged in November, Japanese scientists were not quite clear on how long the island would last. This is because in most cases, the small islets that emerge from eruptions are reclaimed by the ocean. In a new observation last month, scientists said that Niijima Island might survive for at least several years, according to its behavior. There is also a big possibility that the island remains permanently.

Many observers who have seen the images of the merged island suggest that the shape looks just like the cartoon character Snoopy. One Twitter user said, “Exactly as Nostradamus predicted. A new Snoopy-shaped island rises from the sea near Tokyo.”

HOLY CRAP! Island that looks like Snoopy formed after volcanic eruption off the coast of Japan! http://t.co/cJdAY5u4wB

— Kane (@Kaneshow) December 31, 2013

Official images of the merged islands have been released by the Japanese Coast Guard.

Two Islands Merge

Image via YouTube