With the northern lights visible throughout Canada this past weekend, Canadians took to social media to share their sightings of the mesmerizing natural phenomenon.

Although the aurora borealis is typically more visible in Arctic regions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center recently announced that numerous coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are essentially expulsions of solar matter, were expected to impact Earth’s magnetic field on Thursday and Friday. This, plus a fast-moving stream of solar wind, was predicted to increase aurora visibility for those farther south, so long as skies were clear.

Those who managed to catch a glimpse of the shimmering lights -- and who were able to effectively capture an image -- posted their sightings on Twitter using the tags: #NorthernLights and #Canada.

While some images subtly revealed faded tints of green over a blanket of stars, others showed swirling green streaks that conquered the night sky.

The colourful shimmer is an astronomical that derives from large expulsions of solar matter from the sun’s atmosphere ejecting into space, colliding with Earth’s magnetic field, which steers the charged particles towards the North and South Magnetic Poles, the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) website explains.

According to the CSA, this redirection of solar matter creates the illusion that the lights are dancing.

 

If you have clear skies make sure you look north for northern lights. Don’t forget reports at this was taken last night east Edmonton.