A moderate geomagnetic storm will hit Earth over the next two days.
A Kp index of 6 is on the radar for the night from Saturday to Sunday. Such a situation could allow sectors further south to see the veils of color across the sky – provided they are far from light pollution. The Montreal area, for example, might be lucky enough to be entitled to an impressive spectacle.
Good to know : The Kp index is an indicator of geomagnetic activity and ranges from 0 to 9. It is commonly used to determine the probability of observing auroras in several specific regions.
The potential loses some of its feathers for the night from Sunday to Monday, but remains there: a Kp index of 5 is expected. Some regions like Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Gaspésie are particularly well located to enjoy a colorful night out.
October is also one of the best months to see the Northern Lights.
The Aurora Borealis is formed from the interaction between particles from the solar winds and the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The different colors that make up the auroras are explained by the composition of the solar wind. For example, oxygen produces green and red hues, while nitrogen, for example, colors the sky blue, red, and violet.
Some tools for observing the Aurora Borealis:
- Space Weather Canada to verify that geomagnetic activity is sufficient to produce auroras
- NOAA planetary K-index to check if the auroras are visible from, for example, Quebec or Montreal (if the k-index exceeds 5, it is)