Great weekend for Calgarians to see the northern lights

This weekend will be good in Calgary for sky watching. (Photo courtesy Chris Ratzlaff)

Several days of strong solar flares means this weekend Mother Nature has the potential to put on quite a sky show.

Chris Ratzlaff, from Alberta Aurora Chasers, the aurora could be visible across the province, and possibly within city limits, starting Friday and lasting until Sunday.

Ratzlaff says midnight is typically the best time to see them although in Alberta, “an event such as this could be visible in the northern skies shortly after dusk”

“The best advice is to get out of the city.  Get away from the city lights.  You’re going to see the most vivid colours by doing that,” says Ratzlaff.  He points out that you’ll see red and purple hues in rural areas and within city limits you’re more likely to see muted green colours.

When asked about the best spot for Calgarians to watch the aurora, Ratzlaff recommends the Ghost Lake parking lot. He does remind people not to park on the sides of highways and to stay off private property.

According to the Weather Network's website, the best time to view the Aurora will be between Friday night at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 3 a.m.

Communications concerns

This weekend’s event has prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S to issue its first geomagnetic storm watch since 2005.

In a press release, NOAA calls it an unusual event that could cause disruptions adding, “geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-earth orbit and on earth’s surface…potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigations, radio, and satellite operations.”

NOAA says the area where the recent solar flares happened is 16 times the diameter of earth.  The sunspot is so big you may be able to see it with your solar eclipse glasses.

Melnyk shot his photos from the flight deck of a Dreamliner at 35,000 feet. (Photo: Matt Melnyk)