Keep an eye on the night sky tonight, no matter where you are across Vancouver Island or Canada for that matter, because there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to see the Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights.
The storm was caused by a hole in the outermost layer of the sun, opening the magnetic field up to stretch further than usual, which resulted in a gradual increase in the solar wind.
Tonight’s storm is expected to hit G2 and even possibly G3.
According to the Weather Network, typically, auroras from a G1 geomagnetic storm reach most regions of Canada, except the southern Atlantic provinces, southern Ontario and southern British Columbia. G2 storm levels produce auroras that stretch farther south, covering nearly all of Canada, and G3 even farther, giving all Canadians a chance to see this amazing phenomenon.
There are a few things you can do to get prepared to watch the Northern Lights:
- Monitor the geomagnetic forecast using Canada’s Space Weather Agency
- Choose a location with little to no light pollution with the Dark Site Finder.
- Use the Clear Sky Chart to ensure there’s no cloud cover where/when you plan to view
Light pollution will spoil any view of the Northern Lights. The best option is to head north until you can see a healthy number of stars above your head.
Also, even if you are in a good position to see the aurora, it may still be quite faint, requiring a camera that can capture long exposures and some post-processing to really pick out the vibrant colours.
If you do capture an amazing photo, make sure to hashtag it with #victoriabuzz, or email us at tips@victoriabuzz.com.
