Looking up at the Northern Lights.
Night Lights
Manitobans hit the jackpot when it comes to the aurora borealis. With the Earth’s magnetic pole directly north of the province, the northern lights can be viewed all year round—although winter and early spring are peak times, thanks to longer nights.
New to aurora chasing? Join the Manitoba Aurora and Astronomy group on Facebook. Formed in 2020, the group helps amateur sky-watchers interpret satellite data to determine prime nights for light viewing. “The night sky can change quickly,” says Justin Anderson, who co-founded the group with Ryan Lucenkiw. “We stay up to date with people who understand the data. Members across the province also post when the aurora is out.” Once you’ve tracked down the glowing sky, try to snap a few photos. An aurora chaser for four years, Brandon resident Anderson says smartphone cameras are so advanced now that they have the capability of capturing its beauty to share with all your followers.
A reminder to always live in the moment, National Look up at the Sky Day is April 14th. Take some time this day (and every day) to observe the world around you. To help you understand what you’re looking at, try the Canadian Space Agency star finder, as well as apps such as Star Chart and the kid-friendly Solar Walk.