Tag Archives: celestial events

CHS Pics | Geomagnetic storming continues above Capitol Hill — Here’s a look at this weekend’s Northern Lights over Seattle

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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. Continue reading →

Northern Lights above Capitol Hill? ‘Best aurora viewing conditions that many of us in the PNW have ever experienced’

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(Image: NOAA)

This weekend could be the perfect time to get involved with Capitol Hill’s stargazing community.

A massive solar storm, a new moon, and forecasts calling for clear skies could match up Friday night to create prime a Northern Lights viewing opportunity in the Pacific Northwest. Continue reading →

UPDATE: Rocket! — Reports and videos from across city as streaking lights cross Seattle sky

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Videos showed streaking lights as reports from around Seattle described something like a meteor apparently burning up in the atmosphere lighting up the night sky over the city Thursday. Continue reading →

A bright spot in the 2020 sky, see Comet Neowise above Capitol Hill

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(Image: Drew Collins with permission to CHS)

It’s a sign that 2020, despite some dark days, still has a few bright spots. This image of the Comet Neowise above the dome of the Volunteer Park Water Tower can hopefully inspire you to head out — and look up.

The comet had made a fleeting visit to our early morning hours — Drew Collins snapped this photo around 3:30 in the morning over the weekend —  but now Neowise is set to appear on Seattle’s horizon just after dusk for another week and a few days before it disappears for an expected 6,800 or so years. Continue reading →

CHS Pics | The Perseids from Capitol Hill a typically Seattle celestial event

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IMG_7886In San Francisco, Karl the Fog ate the Perseids:

Here on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, we only had the clouds to blame. Intrepid CHS photographer Alex Garland set out early Saturday morning to capture an image of this year’s annual August pass through comet dust from Capitol Hill’s Louisa Boren Lookout. You can see the lovely streak of Perseid light above the darkness of Lake Washington at the center of the frame in the image at the top of this post. Not far behind that shooting star came the clouds, flowing in with the certainty that celestial events in Seattle, thanks to city lights and marine layers, are almost always a letdown.

via GIPHY

CHS Pics | Shooting the blood moon from Louisa Boren Park

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Hundreds of moongazers showed up at Louisa Boren Park Sunday night — many packing rather amazing camera set-ups — for a view of the blood moon total eclipse from Capitol Hill.

Enticed by a clear-for-Seattle sky and the rare convergence of the full moon nearest the fall equinox, the moon at its closest approach to Earth for the year, and the eclipse, the Super Harvest Blood Moon shooters were joined by a crowd of skywatchers in the park overlooking Lake Washington along 15th Ave E’s eastern flank. Continue reading →

Where to see the blood moon eclipse from Capitol Hill

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Just before 7 PM Sunday, you’ll want to find a clear view to the east for the 2015 blood moon eclipse — a rare celestial event you actually have a chance at seeing from Capitol Hill.

Seattle is not a good city for stargazers but predictions are that Sunday’s total lunar eclipse *probably* won’t be a big giant disappointment. The forecasts look good for a relatively clear sky above Seattle around moonrise at 6:54 Sunday night. By that time, the process of alignment for the sun, moon, and earth will have started. Totality arrives at 7:11 PM and lasts 72 minutes.

https://twitter.com/NPRskunkbear/status/647834664405700608/photo/1 

Then, of course, comes the apocalypse.

But — before End Times hit — you should consider bundling up and visiting your favorite eastward view around Capitol Hill. Louisa Boren Park is a great choice and you’ll likely be sharing the view with a good crowd of moon lovers. But it’s a big moon and even bigger sky — let us know where you’ll be watching. Louisa Boren Park Night View