Stunning show of northern lights captured across Ontario last night

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, make a rare appearance over central Ontario north of Hwy 36 in Kawartha Lakes, Ont., on Sunday, March 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill

Stargazers in Ontario got quite the show as the northern lights illuminated the skies overnight Sunday.

The celestial sightings took place after the U.S. National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Geomagnetic Storm Warning for Sunday night.

It wasn’t the only time in recent weeks Ontarians have had the chance to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. On Sept. 18, a geomagnetic solar storm brought the phenomenon to the province.

According to University of Waterloo professor Roan Haggar, sightings like Sunday's could become more common in the coming years.

“The northern lights are affected by the amount of activity in the sun, and the sun's activity goes up and down over about an 11-year cycle. In about 2025 we should reach the next maximum,” Haggar told CTV News Kitchener last week.

In the early hours of Monday morning, over Port Elgin, Ont. and Lake Huron, some viewers were able to capture particularly vibrant photos of the night sky.

One observer on the shores of Lake Superior said the light show was most vibrant after 10 p.m.

One social media user even caught a video of the lights, sharing it to X, formerly Twitter.

Typically, the aurora borealis can only be seen in far-northern latitudes, but on Sunday, sightings were reported in Ontario as far south as London, Ont.

STARGAZING TIPS

Astrophotographer Trevor Jones, of St. Catharines, Ont., says that, for ideal stargazing conditions, you’ll need to eliminate as much light as possible.

Jones has been photographing the night sky for nearly a decade and has captured thousands of shots of southern Ontario's rare Aurora Borealis display.

“The biggest thing you need is clear skies,” Jones said.

“You'll see much more if you're able to get away from the city lights and get somewhere a little darker,” he said.

Jones also recommends giving your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness to best view the night sky and to spot celestial sights beyond the moon.

“If you go straight outside, your eyes aren't going to be ready to see anything, so let your eyes adapt to the darkness for 25 minutes or so,” he said.

Ontario's federal dark-sky preserves include Point Pelee National Park in Essex County, Fathom Five National Marine Park, and Bruce Peninsula National Park near Tobermory, Ont.

Some spots recommended for stargazing, but without official dark-sky designation, include Binbrook Conservation Area in Niagara, Ont., Torrance Barrens in Gravenhurst, Ont., and Lennox and Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area in Napanee, Ont.