Dazzling display of northern lights across Toronto last night with more on the way, Canada Reviews

Torontonians and residents across southern Ontario caught a spectacular view of the northern lights last night. The vibrant green, red, and purple lights shifted and changed shape like softly blowing curtains — and many took out their cell cameras to capture the dazzling display (but honestly, pictures don’t do it justice, seeing the Auroras in person will be the prettiest thing you’ll ever witness).

The downtown Toronto sky took on a bit of a pinkish/violet hue…

Here’s a view from Niagara Falls…

A stunning view from Lake Simcoe…

Hamilton…

The Muskoka lights shone red…

In Brantford, the skies lit up green…

In Kitchener, the skies looked almost purple…

North York even saw some action…

Don’t worry if you missed it last night! According to Space Weather Canada, a major geomagnetic storm watch is in effect from Oct. 10, 11:00 am to Oct 12, 12:00 pm, meaning that our planet is experiencing significant disturbances in its magnetic field, which is what is leading to the gorgeous display of lights.

“An ejection of the Sun’s material (coronal mass ejection) was observed on 09 OCT 2024. The ejected material reached the Earth on 10 OCT 2024, resulting in major geomagnetic activity,” the agency explained.

Apart from the northern lights, there will be even more celestial activity taking place this year. Look out for the Geminids Meteor Shower, which is considered the king of meteor showers, producing up to 120 multicoloured meteors per hour at its peak! This will run from Dec. 7-17, peaking the night of Dec. 13 and the morning of Dec. 14th.

If you’re looking for a prime spot to watch the night skies, check out these astro-tourism activities at the world’s first designated Dark Sky Reserve in Muskoka. On Nov. 1, 2 @ 7 pm, participants can join ‘Myths and Legends Under the Stars’, a 1.5-hour session that will explore a range of lunar topics, including the origins of the moon, moon phases, features of the moon, and other moons in the solar system. On Oct. 17 (Hunter’s Moon), Oct. 18, and Nov. 15 (Harvest Moon) @ 7 pm, gather under the moon in a guided 1.5-hour hike to deepen your understanding and appreciation of Earth’s celestial companion (participants will also get a chance to peer through binoculars to gaze upon the moon’s many craters and “seas”).