Douglas Coupland light exhibit opens in downtown Calgary

Northern Lights, set up on the TELUS Sky building, is the largest public art display in the city of Calgary.

Calgary — A huge art installation lit up the night sky for the first time in Calgary Saturday night.

Northern Lights, by artist Douglas Coupland, is a 160,000-square-foot light display installed on the north and south sides of the TELUS Sky building.

Incorporating more than 2.2 kilometres of LED lighting, it's the largest public art piece in the city of Calgary.

The display has already brought new love for the city's skyline.

"I think it's pretty neat. It beats the regular light from downtown," one spectator said. "It catches people's attention. I especially like the part where the lights mimic the Northern Lights. We don't get to see the Northern Lights too often, so seeing an artificial (version), it's entertaining."

It's scheduled to run every day from one hour before sunset until 11 p.m., with different programs depending on the current season.