7 of the Most Amazing Northern Lights Photos Captured in Colorado

The wonders high above Colorado never cease to amaze me.

Our wide open spaces and mountaintops put the heavens within reach on the daily as the Milky Way fills the sky and for regular celestial events such as mentor showers.

And then come the irregular and beautiful like we got this past weekend.

Late last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe, G4 geomagnetic storm watch — the second highest on the scale — for the first time since since January 2005. That meant the aurora borealis, a phenomenon most call the Northern Lights, would reach down into Colorado.

It did, filling Coloradans with wonderment as they captured the rare event. Here are some of the best views of the Northern Lights from Colorado.

Playing with light

Time lapse

Early bird

Capturing color

Palisade on parade

Moving colors

Truly Colorful Colorado

What's happening in the Colorado skies next?

Now that we are all looking up at the night sky, watch next for the Perseid meteor shower peak on Aug. 12. The meteors fall annually from July 17 to Aug. 24.

The Perseid meteor shower typically hits about 60 or more shooting stars per hour.

A couple of decades ago, I stood in amazement from my Jackson, Wyoming, deck as the Perseids appeared to rain over the Grand Tetons.

Head out and find some dark skies, after midnight, experts say, and enjoy this annual celestial event.