Perseids and vibrant auroras shine bright across Canada and globally

If you had clear skies above you across much of Canada and the northern United States, there was a good chance that you were able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

A strong geomagnetic storm caused vibrant auroras to dance across the night sky on August 11, along with some dazzling displays of the Perseid meteor shower.

Stargazers were already out and about ready to see the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, often considered one of the best celestial events of the year. They were in for a welcome sight as the bright colours lit up the meteor display.

The auroras were caused by strong geomagnetic energy due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) impacting Earth's magnetic field. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed that Sunday night's magnetic storms were measured at G3 (strong), with a K-index of 5 to 7, indicating these were strong and vibrant storms.

Auroras were spotted across Canada, with folks in Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland, and British Columbia catching a glimpse of the bright displays as well as the Perseids as they streaked across the sky.

The storms and meteors were also seen around the globe, with those as far south as Texas able to snap some pictures of the storms. Those in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom were also able to see the storms.

The sun has been quite active this year, causing vibrant auroras to spark more frequently.

In fact, if you missed Sunday night's extraordinary display, you may have gotten another chance on Monday night.

Another magnetic storm was expected to reach the Earth on Monday night, although slightly weaker, measuring at a G2 with a K-index of 6.

Light pollution in urban areas can make it hard to see the auroras, so if you want a chance to see them Monday night, you'll likely have to travel outside of city limits where the sky is darker.

See below for some wonderful northern lights displays from social media:

Thumbnail image courtesy of Rob Turac in Courtenay, B.C.

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