Stargazers, rejoice: One of mother nature’s most dazzling astral displays might be visible from coastal B.C. over the next few days.
According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, auroral activity will be high Thursday. "Weather permitting, highly active auroral displays will be visible overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit to Juneau, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Sept-Iles, and visible low on the horizon from Seattle, Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, and Halifax."
The forecast also calls for active displays over the horizon on Nov. 22, 23 and 24, visible over Vancouver and as far south as Portland.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 3-Day Aurora Forecast model shows that some of the aurora’s intensity will be seen over the Lower Mainland — and, maybe, Vancouver Island. The model show’s the intensity and location of the aurora as expected for the time shown at the top of the map.
In order to see the aurora, however, the sky must be dark and clear; clouds are the biggest obstacles to auroral observations. However, Greater Victoria's forecast calls for clear skies tonight and Friday, as does Nanaimo's. As such, stargazers have the ideal conditions for a spellbinding celestial show.
Stargazers should opt to travel as far away from city lights as possible in order to avoid light pollution that will obscure the clarity of heavenly bodies. While this works best in more remote places, anywhere that has a higher elevation will also provide more ideal viewing conditions.
— With a file from the Times Colonist
