Manitobans dazzled by northern lights dancing in sky

Manitobans were treated to a stunning display of the northern lights on Thursday night, as the sky was lit up with swirls of green.

From Beausejour to Portage la Prairie to Riverton, Manitobans from all around the province caught a glimpse of the spectacular display of lights.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it was the effects of an “Earth facing” coronal hole – a large gap in the solar atmosphere – that caused the bright display of the northern lights in Canada on Thursday night and Friday morning.

Though this phenomenon is mostly spotted in the Northwest Territories and the Prairie provinces, the northern lights were seen around Canada on Thursday, including making an appearance in southern Ontario.

Marnie Beaulieu saw the lights from her backyard in Oakbank.

"I was sitting watching TV at night and we have a big window behind us and I noticed I could see them quite clearly," Beaulieu said. “I'm really blessed to be out here in the country to be able to capture these kind of things.”

Jennifer Zacharias got a chance to snap pictures at Duff Roblin Park.

"Last night was amazing,” Zacharias said. “I've never seen them like that before. There was a lot of colours in them from reds, purples and green and they were just tracking across the sky. It was absolutely beautiful."

It's not the first time she's seen the lights, and it won't be the last.

Justin Anderson, an aurora chaser and photographer with his company High Hopes Aurora, says Thursday night's lights were very strong, reaching an eight on the KP scale, measuring activity.

"We are going to get more and more of them as we push into solar maximum which is coming in the next couple of years as activity's going to ramp up and become more frequent,” Anderson said. “It’s a great time to be an aurora chaser."

Anderson's encouraging people to check the lights out when they appear.

"Phones these days can pick up really good northern lights. When they are weak, you might not be able to get very good of a photo. When they are going strong, you can get some really good photos." 

- With files from CTV London’s Kristylee Varley.

The Northern Lights seen from a home in north Winnipeg on March 23, 2023. (Source: Krystelle Capulong)

The Northern Lights in Beausejour on March 23, 2023.

The Northern Lights in Beausejour on March 23, 2023.

The Northern Lights seen just north of Riverton on March 23, 2023. (Source: Jason Hudson)

The Northern Lights seen just north of Riverton on March 23, 2023. (Source: Jason Hudson)