The volcano has been continuously active since 1972 and is the site of a volcanic observatory run by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology[?]. The crater is home to one of three permanent lava lakes in the world.
Mount Erebus was discovered in 1841 by polar explorer Sir James Clark Ross. (His ships were named Erebus and Terror. These ships were also used by Sir John Franklin[?] on his disastrous search for the Northwest Passage.)
It was first climbed (to the rim) by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his party in 1908.
The ships and the volcano were all named for Erebus, a primordial Greek god, the son of Chaos.