Metro Vancouver is in store for more northern lights action
The skies over Metro Vancouver have been lighting up with hues of green and blue, as the northern lights have been visible over the past few days.
It turns out that more light shows could be on the way for the region, and Daily Hive got in touch with Dr. Rosanna Tilbrook, an astronomer at Vancouver’s H.R. Macmillan Space Centre, to learn more.
Tilbrook explained that there has been a “general increase” in aurora borealis activity over the past year because the sun is at “the peak of its activity.”
Barbora Kyselicova/Submitted
“This fluctuates on an 11-year cycle, and right now, it’s close to maximum,” stated Tilbrook.
“This means that more charged particles are being flung into space, and it’s these particles which cause the aurora when they interact with Earth’s atmosphere.”
This is good news for local skywatchers because it means that we “should be able to see aurora at low latitudes, like Vancouver, over the coming year,” confirmed Tilbrook.
This past weekend, locals were able to experience intense aurora action because of a strong eruption of material from the sun.
“Because this flare was directed towards the Earth, it eventually interacted with our magnetic field, which in turn funnelled charged particles to the North and South poles, and resulted in aurora,” she explained.
NOAA’s Wednesday night aurora forecast. (NOAA)
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) viewline forecast for tonight (June 4), some aurora activity is expected in the region, but Tilbrook noted it will not be as strong as what took place over the weekend.
“Saturday’s aurora was caused by a severe geomagnetic storm, whereas [Wednesday] night’s is predicted to be minor. So, if we do catch a glimpse of the northern lights, they’re more likely to be faint arcs of colour rather than vibrant “curtains” in the sky,” she said.
If you hope to see the lights tonight, remember that your best bet is to go to a dark area, away from the city lights. Moreover, skies need to be clear, so be sure to check the weather forecast before heading out.
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