A volcano on the island of Hawaii has erupted and caught the world's attention.

Kilauea has got craters and spewed lava in such a way that aerial shots show it 'smiling.'

The volcano has been active since 1983, and this is its first eruption in three years.

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) says it poses no threat to nearby communities.

Image: Facebook/Paradise Helicopters

"The lava lake at Halema'uma'u Crater continues to circulate and intermittently spatter. Seismicity and deformation rates throughout the volcano remain at background levels," it says.

"Seismicity is within normal, background rates with tremor fluctuations associated with lava lake spattering."

"The summit sulfur dioxide emission rate ranged from 3,000 to 13,000 metric tons/day measured yesterday," the USGS adds.