DC area gets rare glimpse of northern lights

Aurora visible from the Chain Bridge in the District. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

Wow, oh WOW!

Aurora lit up the D.C.-area sky Thursday night, just as predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center and relayed in my previous story. The event did achieve the G3 (Strong) and G4 (Severe) levels to produce amazing and worldwide aurora. The geomagnetic storm almost reached the G5 (Extreme) level, but not quite.

Getting to G5, the highest level, really didn’t matter, as the aurora started to appear as soon as it got dark. Veteran and rookie aurora chasers throughout the region shared with WTOP and on social media their reactions and wonderful images.



What was amazing to me was that the Aurora could be seen visually at times and easily imaged with any camera, including smartphones. Even downtown D.C. and Fairfax County chasers posted images showing the northern lights easily winning against the city lights of the National Mall, the U.S. Capitol and elsewhere.

My own viewing experience in Greene County, Virginia, near Shenandoah National Park — a preferred site for aurora chasers — was simply delightful, as a variety of aurora configurations were visible. Red and green patches, curtains and, most jaw dropping, a stable auroral red arc almost right overhead!

I saw and captured my first SAR arc last year at Shenandoah. This time, the arc was almost directly overhead and spanned the entire sky from the northwest to the southeast. I was so excited, good thing no one else was around.

The bad news is that if you missed this auroral sky show, it is most likely over for now, as the Space Weather Prediction Center forecast shows geomagnetic levels are at G1 (Minor) or very minimal the next couple days.

The good news is that the sun is nearing solar maximum for solar cycle 25 and is expected to keep producing solar events that lead to geomagnetic storms that lead to aurora!

But no need to fret if you’re still bummed about missing the northern lights Thursday night. There might be a comet sighting over the weekend!

Oh, and be sure to read my story on the comet that we hope to see this weekend.

Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, X and his daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.

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aurora in DC
Aurora visible from the Chain Bridge in the District. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)
aurora
The northern lights can be seen at Sky Meadows Park in Virginia. (Courtesy Sonja Vanden Berghe)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
northern lights
Northern lights make a rare appearance in the D.C. area. (WTOP/Greg Redfern)
Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen over Washington, DC on October 10, 2024. (Getty Images/LUCIE AUBOURG)
The aurora over Aurora over Sumerduck, Virginia, Thursday night. (Courtesy Mark Burge)
Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen over Washington, DC on October 10, 2024. (Getty Images/ISSAM AHMED)
A photographer takes pictures of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm as seen from Shenandoah National Park in Rileyville, Virginia, on October 10, 2024. (Getty Images/SAUL LOEB)
Aurora borealis, or northern lights, produced by a solar geomagnetic storm are seen from Shenandoah National Park in Rileyville, Virginia, on October 10, 2024. (Getty Images/SAUL LOEB)
Northern Lights Solar Storm
An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, shines over Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Northern Lights Solar Storm
An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Northern Lights Solar Storm
People watch as an aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the night sky from Montrose Point, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Chicago. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Northern Lights Solar Storm
An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glows in the night sky above apartment buildings in the Queens borough of New York, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel P. Derella)
APTOPIX Britain Northern Lights
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are seen in the sky near Knaresborough, England, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (Andrew Hawkes via AP)
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