'The ground lit up': Northern lights put on show over Manitoba
Sky gazers had plenty to be thankful for over the Thanksgiving weekend.
The northern lights put on a celestial show over Manitoba thanks to the fallout from a solar flare.
“It gave us this beautiful display of northern lights,” explained Scott Young, planetarium astronomer with the Manitoba Museum.
CTV Winnipeg viewer Caroline Stoop took this image of the northern lights in Headingley, Man. (Source: Caroline Stoop)
Young explained the northern lights are caused by activity from the sun, and are not just visible in very northern communities.
“The sun is sending out heat and light, of course, but all sorts of other radiation as well off into space, and that travels all the way through space and reaches us here on the earth,” he said.
Young explained that much of the sun’s radiation gets filtered out by the earth’s atmosphere. The earth’s magnetic field essentially collects that radiation and all those particles from the sun near the north and south poles.
A highland cow takes in the northern lights near Komarno, Man. (Source: Fran Wilkinson)
“That energy has to do something. It builds up and builds up, and eventually it gets to a point where it makes the air itself glow in the dark, so you get this ghostly, green glow in the areas around the north and south poles,” he said.
Young added that the material from a solar flare that happened over the weekend reached the sky here in Manitoba, resulting in a beautiful display of northern lights Monday night.
The display lit up the comment section of Manitoba Aurora and Astronomy – a Facebook group for Manitoba-based aurora chasers. A thread dedicated to the group’s observations Monday night generated over 400 comments and photos.
The northern lights lit up parts of the province Monday night, including in Oxford House, Man. (Source: Melinda Wood)
“Everyone was commenting at that point,” said Justin Anderson, co-creator of Manitoba Aurora and Astronomy. “You started to see a lot of light in it. You got the purples, the pinks, the greens, all to your naked eye. It was so bright, that it was brighter than a full moon last night, so the ground lit up and I didn’t even need a light to walk around with, and that’s the part where everyone gets excited.”
Anderson co-created the group in July of 2020 to form a community of aurora chasers in Manitoba. Thanks to word of mouth, media coverage, and a few particularly stunning northern lights displays, the group has ballooned to 25,000 members.
“I never dreamed of a community this big and a community this advanced,” Anderson said, noting that members help each other with finding a clear place to view the lights, photography tips and more.
Georgette Dupont captured this photo of the northern lights shining near Lac du Bonnet, Man. (Source: Georgette Dupont)
TIPS FOR VIEWING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Young said many celestial fans knew to watch for Monday’s night northern lights by tracking solar data.
However if you missed the show, Young hopes there could still be some activity tonight.
“It really depends. These solar flares, you never know how long they’re going to last, and there’s already some indication that maybe it’s tapering off a little bit, but I’m going out tonight to make sure that I don’t miss it. I saw the pictures from last night, and I’m kicking myself for not being out there,” he said.
Hannah Bjornson took this photo of the northern lights from Gimli, Man. (Source: Hannah Bjornson)
If you’re looking to optimize your viewing experience, Young recommends heading away from the lights of your city or town.
“You want to get to a place where there are no streetlights shining in your face,” he said.
“Ideally, you want to not have a big city or town to your north. I like to go to Birds Hill Provincial Park because from there, you’re looking north from Winnipeg and you’re not seeing those city lights.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
South Korean sentenced to 14 months in jail for killing 76 cats
South Korean man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for killing 76 cats in one of the country's most gruesome cases of animal cruelty in recent years.