Saskatchewan treated to intense display of northern lights
Those in Saskatchewan gazing at the stars Monday night were treated to a brilliant display of northern lights – as a solar storm continues to bear down on the northern hemisphere.
From Meadow Lake to Ogema – space enthusiasts recorded myriads of colours dancing in the skies.
The Aurora Borealis as seen in Regina. (Submitted)
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported geomagnetic storm watches on Oct. 3 in the lead up to a pair of coronal mass ejections (CME).
CMEs and solar flares are extremely large explosions on the sun’s photosphere. They occur near sunspots, at the dividing line between areas of oppositely directed magnetic fields.
Plasma interacts with the magnetic field, which sends a burst of plasma up and away from the sun in the form of a flare. Solar flares emit x-rays and magnetic fields which bombard Earth in the form of geomagnetic storms.
The stronger the storms, the more visible and more widespread the Aurora Borealis can be.
These storms are rated from G5 (Extreme) to G1 (Minor).
G5 storms, which have the ability to cause widespread power grid issues, also can result in the northern lights being visible as far south as Florida and southern Texas.
The forecast for Oct. 6 – 7 was for G2 or moderate solar storms.
The northern lights spotted near Wynyard, Sask. on Oct. 7, 2024. (Courtesy: Sherri Grant)
Northern lights seen near Echo Lake on Oct. 7, 2024. (Courtesy: Don Drever)
The Aurora Borealis as seen in Regina on Oct. 7, 2024. (Submitted)
The Aurora Borealis as seen in Regina on Oct. 7, 2024. (Courtesy: Daelyn Rae Praski)
The Aurora Borealis in Regina as seen the night of Oct. 7, 2024. (Submitted)
This year has seen an influx of sunspots due to the 11-year solar cycle. According to NOAA, solar activity is expected to peak through 2025 and 2026.
NOAA’s storm watches have been extended through Oct. 8. This time with a warning of G3 (Strong).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE UPDATES Tracking Hurricane Milton: Canadian travel advisory issued, Florida governor warns 'time is running out'
U.S. forecasters are warning of destructive waves, devastating winds and flash floods through the week as Hurricane Milton makes its way from the Yucatan Peninsula toward Florida.
Meteorologist becomes emotional giving update on Hurricane Milton
A seasoned American meteorologist became emotional on air as he gave an update on a major hurricane, later suggesting the reason behind his strong reaction.
One American physician's long journey to becoming a family doctor in Canada
An American family doctor is frustrated with what she says has been a challenging two-year-and-counting bureaucratic journey to be accepted into Canada.
'Extremely disappointed': Family of homicide victim storms out of courtroom as judge reads decision
Emotions boiled over after a judge acquitted two out of three defendants in a manslaughter case, while the third accused has since died.
TikTok sued by 14 U.S. states over alleged harm to children’s mental health
A bipartisan group of 14 U.S. attorneys general from across the country filed lawsuits on Tuesday against TikTok, alleging that the platform has “addicted” young people and harmed their mental health.
Is it safe to buy from Temu and Shein? Here's what Canada says it's doing to try to protect consumers
As U.S. regulators push for an investigation into what they call 'deadly baby and toddler products' from foreign e-commerce sites, health officials in Canada say they haven't determined whether any laws or regulations have been broken.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Pierre Poilievre's dramatic side could become his undoing
In his column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that the dramatic side to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and his tendency to 'play everything to the hilt,' could well become his undoing.
Baby Boomers are living longer than previous generations but have worse health, study finds
Baby Boomers may be expected to live longer than their predecessors, but a recent study has found that they are more likely to suffer from worse health than previous generations.
Chris Pine is now a children's book author
The "Star Trek" star, Chris Pine, has a new children's book out, titled "When Digz the Dog Met Zurl the Squirrel: A Short Tale About a Short Tail."