'So much excitement': Aurora borealis light show amazes Lethbridge photographers

The northern lights are seen behind Lethbridge's High Level Bridge. (Courtesy: Austin Moloughney)

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. — Local photographers were amazed by the aurora borealis display in the night sky over Lethbridge on Thursday night.

“The last three nights have been the best aurora borealis that I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Austin Moloughney, a Lethbridge-based aurora chaser and photographer.

“To have them this far south is really an anomaly of nature and so it certainly piques my interest to go out and see them when they are available to be seen.”

Whether in the city, river bottom or county, the vibrant lights were on display in full force.

“There’s something called a CME, or a coronal mass injection,” explained Locke Spencer, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Lethbridge.

“It’s when you have solar activity where particles are ejected from the sun, they travel through the solar system out towards the earth. These energetic particles come and hit our atmosphere and they have enough energy to ionize the atmosphere and you're actually seeing the particles from the sun interacting with our atmosphere and the light that comes from that energy.”

The dazzling show of northern lights attracted many people to head outside and catch a glimpse.

Lethbridge-based photographer Robert Kruk says the last few days have been unlike anything he’s ever seen.

“There’s a sunset every night but it may not be as spectacular depending on the clouds, but this was very special because it was such a high KPX index,” Kruk said.

“When I heard about all the uproar on social media about it, I had to be out there last night and I’m glad I was because it was one of the most spectacular shows I’ve seen in a very long time.”

Solar flares happen on an 11-year cycle, which Spencer says we're right at the peak of.

“And the different colours are actually coming from different molecules and constituents of our atmosphere,” Spencer said.

While the display isn't new, the intensity of this week has allowed for the lights to be seen by the naked eye.

“Last night, when I was out there were so many people taking photos and videos and there was just so much excitement,” Kruk said. “You see families out there and it just brings so much joy in everybody.”

With the timing of the cycle, Spencer says they'll be seen throughout winter and into next year – although no one really knows exactly when that'll be.

“For this week, there's a good chance that we are not done this quite yet,” he said.