The Wandering Northern Lights

Aura Borealis over Kanata

We almost never get to see the Northern Lights this far south in eastern Canada but last fall there was an exceptional burst of solar flare energy that allowed one of nature's most spectacular light shows to entertain millions of viewers over much of North America on multiple nights and at locations far south of their normal geographical range.

I had only witnessed one display of the Northern Lights since leaving the Yukon and that was in the early 1990's while visiting family in London Ontario, a most unlikely place to view this mostly northern phenomena.

We had returned from an Ottawa Senators hockey game and just stepped out of the car, when on the northwest horizon there was a colourful mauve-green tapestry spread across the night sky. My son-in-law Charles captured the beautiful scene on his phone's camera. My son Scott and grandson Theo were also present for this special moment which lasted only a few minutes before vanishing.






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