Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Solar storm to trigger northern lights show that could be seen across much of Canada

The largest solar storm in five years sent a huge wave of radiation into earth's atmosphere creating a brilliant show of the aurora borealis near Yellowknife, N.W.T. on Thursday March 8, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden The largest solar storm in five years sent a huge wave of radiation into earth's atmosphere creating a brilliant show of the aurora borealis near Yellowknife, N.W.T. on Thursday March 8, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden
Share

Heightened activity of the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, is expected to create a spectacle in the sky on Friday night; one that can potentially be seen across much of Canada.

According to , , which are clouds of solar materials, erupted from the sun overnight Tuesday, creating a coronal mass ejection, or solar storm. On Friday, the forecasted a level G1, minor geomagnetic storm, however it may increase to a level G2 moderate storm; pushing it further away from the North, giving Southern Canada a chance to catch the show.

A forecast from the says high activity can be seen in the Territories, Edmonton, Alta., Winnipeg. Man., Thunder Bay, Ont., and Sept-Illes, Que. While visible low activity could reach on the horizon from Halifax, N.S., and some U.S. cities like Chicago.

Some parts of Canada have already soaked in the display of lights as the Aurora Borealis made its presence known earlier this week in southern Manitoba.

is also showing some unsettled intervals of geomagnetic activity for the next 24 hours across the Auroral and Polar regions of the country.

The best way to catch the light show tonight is to seek a location free of light pollution, the . The agency also recommends checking out frequent updates from Space Weather Canada for when the aurora borealis is likely to show the most activity.

This phenomenon can occur in any section of the sky so it's key to look up everywhere, and not just in a single area, to not miss a single display of colour.  

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

opinion

opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

Local Spotlight

A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.