Sky-gazers across Canada lit up social media on Saturday with photos of a Friday night Aurora Borealis spectacle.

The images show skies above parts of Newfoundland, Ontario, and Saskatchewan shimmering purple and green.

The Aurora Borealis, or northern lights, occurs when particles from the sun react with the earth’s atmosphere. The night-sky phenomenon is most commonly seen far north and away from city lights, but every once and a while the aurora dips further south.

Earlier this week, photographers spotted the lights in Hay Cove, N.L..

On Friday, sky-gazers throughout Ontario also reported seeing the phenomenon.

 

 

The lights were visible as far west as parts of Saskatchewan—but not everybody had an easy time spotting them.

Ongoing wildfires in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C. caused a cloud cover that extended into the U.S. Friday, creating a haze cover in some areas.