A second wave of aurora borealis fills the sky over Alberta

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For the second time in a week, unsettled space weather led to a dazzling display of aurora borealis in the skies over Alberta – as long as weather closer to Earth didn’t get in the way.

A severe G4 geomagnetic storm was reported across the planet on Thursday, caused by the latest in a string of coronal mass ejections from the Sun over the past few months.

Storms created by these solar particle streams cause disruptions in the Earth’s geomagnetic field, potentially affecting technologies such as satellite communications, global positioning systems, some types of radio transmissions and power grids, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center said in – statement released Thursday evening.

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The visible side effects of solar storms can be seen in the form of the aurora borealis, which can be detected further south than usual when such storms are intense.

The forecast released Thursday by SWPC showed a very high chance of seeing the aurora borealis across Alberta and almost all of Canada. These conditions could return on Friday evening in many parts of the country.

Environment Canada’s forecast for Calgary shows the potential for partly cloudy skies Thursday evening through Friday morning. Similar mixed cloud cover was forecast for many parts of Alberta.

However, in many parts of the province, skies were clear enough to see the celestial light show.

Photos shared on social media also show that many Canadians from coast to coast got a glimpse of the Northern Lights on Thursday.

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Thursday’s aurora borealis came on the heels of an intense display of aurora borealis from Monday evening into Tuesday morning – so intense that its vivid colors could be seen with the naked eye from many parts of light-polluted urban centers.

Monday’s aurora display took place in “the best spot, right above Calgary,” David J. Knudsen, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Calgary, told Postmedia.

Similarly impressive views were recorded throughout the province.

Space weather forecasters didn’t expect the latest solar storm to surpass the one that hit Earth in May and be the strongest in more than two decades.

The storm was forecast to produce aurora borealis as far south as the U.S., Midwest and northern California, although exact locations and timing are uncertain, according to NOAA. Skywatchers are reminded to point their smartphones upwards to take photos, as these devices can often capture aurora borealis that the human eye cannot capture.

May’s solar storm produced breathtaking aurora borealis in Calgary and the Northern Hemisphere without causing any major technological disruption.

The sun is near the top of its current 11-year cycle, which is causing all the recent solar activity and increased visibility of the aurora borealis.

— With files from the Associated Press

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