A weekend of electromagnetic storm activity predicted to be the “best aurora viewing conditions that many of us in the PNW have ever experienced” lived up to all hopes Friday night as the Northern Lights appeared over Capitol Hill, Seattle, and across the country. Here are a few scenes captured from around the Hill Friday night into Saturday morning as the two large storm pulses hit overnight.

While an anticipated second round caused by the “large, complex sunspot cluster” never fully materialized Saturday night, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s suddenly very popular Space Weather Prediction Center says that more geomagnetic storming is coming.

“The ongoing geomagnetic storm will likely once again become more intense later today,” the center said Sunday in a statement, adding that “several intense Coronal Mass Ejections are still anticipated to reach the Earth’s outer atmosphere by later today.”

If strong enough waves coincide with darkness as they did Friday, Seattle could get another spectacular display of the aurora borealis Sunday night.

“Capitol Hill, at midnight. Very visible to the naked eye.” (Image: @trunksahoy)

Alberto Rodriguez from the CHS Facebook Group

“Got a glimpse over in Capitol Hill.” (Image: @sakshee0904)

“Pretty cool from my Capitol Hill rooftop.” (Image: @DiscoAl_66)

“Reporting in from Capitol Hill. Literal lifetime dream come true and I didn’t even need to leave the neighborhood. Needed camera, don’t care. What a special night.” (Image: @kb_opus)

Susan Lager from the CHS Facebook Group

“From Capitol Hill. Amazing!” (Image: @StreetTreatsWa)

“From Capitol Hill” (Image: @MattSidor)

“capitol hill right now” (Image: @charybdeez)

“Capitol Hill, Seattle” (Image: @ColemanAnton)

Cristi Russo from the CHS Facebook Group

“Let’s do this every Friday” (Image: @kateseventy8)

@NWSSeattle time lapse video of columns from Capitol Hill pic.twitter.com/hPA3ya0Z3t

— Mooshrimp (@mooshrimp) May 11, 2024

In the meantime, systems depending on high frequency radio could be disrupted as effects of the storm tilt nature in strange and wonderful ways including boosting the powers of the ionosphere and exciting HAM radio operators around the world.

If you see images from the aurora and feel a pang of jealousy about the bright colors and swirls captured in the photographs, don’t worry you weren’t standing in the wrong place or looking at the wrong time. Cameras can pick up more of the Northern Lights than you can see with the naked eye thanks to tech allowing longer exposure and capturing more light and colors.

They sky above also never quits. If you are interested in more things celestial in the skies above Capitol Hill, check out the community of skygazers that has formed at Volunteer Park.

Danielle Catalano from the CHS Facebook Group

AnnMarie Cook from the CHS Facebook Group

Alberto Rodriguez from the CHS Facebook Group

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