Missed the Northern Lights in Ontario? You may still have a chance
Those who missed the dazzling display of northern lights in Ontario last night may have another chance on Saturday – so long as the skies clear.
On Friday night into the early hours of the morning, Aurora Borealis lit up skies from Vancouver to the Maritimes, offering a spectacular celestial show to those who caught a glimpse.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The solar event, caused by a burst of material that exploded off the sun on Thursday, was classified as a G5, or ‘extreme,’ geomagnetic storm, a level of severity last recorded in 2003.
While clouds made it difficult for many in Toronto to take in the lights on Friday night, there may yet be a chance for those eager to witness the event in the coming days.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the northern lights are set to return to Canadian skies tonight and, potentially, beyond Saturday.
“The great news is the sun is still burping this stuff out,” Science Specialist Dan Riskin said in an interview with CP24. "So we should get a similar show tonight."
The northern lights from Meadowlane Park in Kitchener on May 10, 2024. (Source: @JPfromCanada/Twitter)
Unfortunately, clouds are in the forecast in Toronto and the surrounding areas on Saturday night.
“But who knows, it could continue beyond Saturday, which I'm hoping for, since it's supposed to be stupid cloudy tonight in Toronto,” he said.
While Riskin said it is difficult to predict exactly when, or if, the lights will fill the skies, the prime timeslot usually falls between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. in Ontario.
In Alberta, it’s 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and in British Columbia, it’s 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Light pollution and cloudy skies can wash out a clear view of the northern lights, so travelling to darker areas, like parks, or leaving the city altogether, can increase your chances of catching the lights.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Hannah Alberga.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feature Report Fixed or variable? Advice from more than 50 brokers for Canadians whose mortgages are up for renewal
Over the next year-and-a-half, 44 per cent of all mortgages will be up for renewal in Canada. To help guide consumers through these uncertain financial times, CTV News reached out to more than 50 mortgage brokers across Canada with a list of questions. Their answers provide professional guidance for individuals and families searching for clarity and sound advice.
Policies, procedures often broken in awarding contracts to under-fire consulting firm: auditor general
Canada's auditor general is blasting federal government departments and agencies for disregarding their own procurement policies and failing to manage risks relating to contracts awarded to McKinsey and Company.
9-year-old boy dies after being pulled from water at Ottawa's Britannia Beach
A nine-year-old boy died in hospital after being pulled from the Ottawa River at Britannia Beach.
A 74-year-old in hospice care was declared dead, a sheriff's official said. Hours later, something truly astonishing happened
Constance Glantz had been in a nursing home. In hospice care. She was 74. She was declared dead. Then, she started to breath.
Airline loses Ontario woman's suitcase, doesn't offer compensation for 3 months
An Ontario woman who took a trip to Mexico in February said the airline lost her luggage on the flight home and didn’t compensate her for three months.
From deleting evidence to dismissing reports, audit finds Canadian agencies fall short on fighting cybercrime
With Canadians reporting millions in financial losses due to cybercrime, the auditor general is warning that the federal government 'does not have' the capacity or tools to fight cybercrime effectively, citing a series of alarming examples where agencies fell short.
Paris Olympics: Opening athlete parade on a river, not in a stadium, tops list of innovations
Exactly 100 years since the Olympics were last staged in Paris, and 128 years since its modern revival in Athens, the Summer Games can still deliver fresh looks for its 33rd edition. Here is a look at the innovations the Paris Olympics will showcase.
Three babies were abandoned in London over 7 years. Now it's revealed they're siblings
Police are searching for the parents of three babies who were wrapped in shopping bags and blankets, then abandoned in the U.K. over the past seven years.
North Korea's trash balloons deepen tensions with the South. Here's what's happening between rivals
Animosities between North and South Korea are rising sharply again over an unusual cause: The North's rubbish-carrying balloons.