Canadians across the country were given a chance to witness a spectacular show Tuesday night as the northern lights were visible in many provinces -- provided you could find somewhere dark enough to view them.

The phenomenon occurs when charged particles collide with gases in the upper atmosphere of the Earth to produce a colourful show.

The northern version, which Canadians see, is called aurora borealis, while the one seen in the southern hemisphere is called aurora astralis.

Astronomy North, a society dedicated to raising awareness about the northern lights, issued an alert on Tuesday, highlighting the fact there was a perfect blend of factors to make the lights highly visible.

The lights are also expected to be viewable on Wednesday.

If you missed a glimpse of the lights, you can head here to check out video streams of aurora borealis in Yellowknife, otherwise check out a collection of images below.