This Is The Best Time To See The Northern Lights In Canada & Here's What You Need To Know

What are the northern lights?

According to the Canadian Space Agency, the northern lights are a display of light that's often seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere.

The aurora borealis occurs when charged particles collide with the gases in Earth's upper atmosphere which produces tiny flashes that light up the sky.

Since billions of flashes happen in sequence, the northern lights appear to move in the sky.

Also, Earth's magnetic field steers the charged particles toward the poles and the shape of Earth's magnetic field creates auroral ovals above the poles.

The northern lights can appear in a variety of colours including green, red and blue.

What month is best to see the northern lights?

The northern lights appear in the sky in Canada almost every night from August to May.

However, the best months to see the northern lights are during the winter season from December all the way to March.

That's because winter nights offer more hours of darkness and frequently have clear skies, according to Destination Canada.

Where can you see the northern lights in Canada?

You can see the northern lights from almost anywhere in Canada during all four seasons but you have the best chances in the northern parts of the country.

During periods of intense solar activity, the aurora can dip down and be seen from southern parts of the country as well.

Typically, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and then become more intense around midnight.

If you're trying to spot the aurora, you should choose a location that's free of light pollution and look all around you because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky.

Can you see northern lights in Ontario?

While you have better chances of seeing the northern lights in northern parts of Canada, you can still catch the aurora borealis in Canada's lower latitudes.

That includes Ontario!