The science and stories behind the aurora borealis, and how they foster community in the province.

Saskatchewan has been graced with many prominent northern lights displays this year. In Indigenous cultures, this natural phenomenon has a deeper meaning that goes beyond its mesmerizing beauty — and in our province, it has created a passionate “aurora hunting” community. 

The Science Behind the Lights

The aurora borealis is created by magnetic storms triggered by solar activity. This includes solar flares (explosions on the Sun) and coronal mass ejections (bubbles of ejected gas), which release energetic charged particles carried to Earth by the solar wind. While most of these particles are deflected, some are captured by Earth’s magnetic field and funnelled toward the north and south poles. When these particles collide with atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, they heat up, creating the glowing lights we see. 

The aurora’s wavy patterns and curtain-like shapes are due to the lines of force in Earth’s magnetic field. The two primary gases in the atmosphere, nitrogen and oxygen, are responsible for the different colours of the phenomenon. The green colour in the aurora is typical of oxygen, while shades of purple, blue, or pink arise from nitrogen. Occasionally, a vibrant scarlet red hue can be observed, which results from high-altitude oxygen interacting with solar particles. This phenomenon only happens during particularly intense auroras.

Currently, the aurora borealis is more visible than usual as the sun approaches its solar maximum, the approximate midpoint and most active phase in its 11-year solar cycle. During this phase, the sun’s magnetic poles switch places, transitioning from a stagnant to a highly active state, resulting in frequent flares and solar eruptions. The current solar cycle, the 25th recorded since 1755, began in 2019 and is expected to peak next year, meaning conditions for increased aurora visibility will persist for months.

A Community of Aurora Hunters

People’s shared love for the aurora has fostered a large online community within our province. The Facebook group “Saskatchewan Aurora Hunters,” open for anyone to join, has garnered over 90,000 members since its inception in 2014. The group has only continued to attract more members as Saskatchewan residents become increasingly aware of the surge of possible aurora sightings. 

Administrators of the group post daily forecasts and members can share anything aurora-related, from photos and videos to tips and questions. On the exciting nights when the aurora puts on a show, the group is flooded with members sharing photos and videos they captured. Members are united under the same sky, expressing gratitude and appreciation for the natural phenomenon.

Indigenous Perspectives on the Aurora

In many Indigenous cultures across Canada, the aurora borealis is much more than just a light show. 

The Inuit refer to the aurora as aksarnirq, meaning “ball player,” and associate it with the spirits of the dead dancing in the sky. According to their beliefs, these spirits sometimes carry torches to guide the living or play a celestial game of soccer, using a walrus skull as the ball. 

Among some Algonquin peoples, the northern lights are linked to Nanahbozho, a cultural hero who, after creating the Earth, moved to the far north. They believed he lit great fires there which, reflected as the aurora, are a sign to his people that he was thinking of them from afar.

Many other Indigenous cultures, such as the Nakoda Cree Saulteaux, view the northern lights as the movements of ancestors in the sky, deserving of respect and reverence. These celestial displays, known as nîmihitocik or “the ones who dance,” represent a timeless energy, reminding people that they are never alone and always connected to the prior ancestors of the land. Ceremonial practices and behaviours tied to the lights have been passed down through generations.

While stories about the lights vary across Indigenous cultures, they consistently emphasize respect for nature. Some Indigenous people believe photographing the northern lights is inappropriate due to their reverence, while others understand society’s necessity to evolve and accept capturing and admiring the phenomenon if it is done with respect and an understanding of their sacred significance.

Tips for Viewing the Northern Lights

As aurora activity peaks in the coming months, here are some tips to enhance your next viewing experience.

Use resources that track the Aurora

As mentioned before, the Saskatchewan Aurora Hunters Facebook group is a great community to help anyone interested in all things aurora. The daily forecasts provide a summary of the likelihood of viewing the aurora throughout the night as well as cloud conditions. Apps such as “Aurora” also relay similar information and can send notifications when the chances of viewing are high. These predictions are based on the metric “Kp,” which is the level of geomagnetic activity. The Kp index ranges from 0 to 9, with a higher value signifying a higher chance of viewing. From Kp 3 to 5, there’s a decent chance of seeing something, and anything above a Kp of 6 is almost guaranteed.

Optimize your viewing spot

To optimize your chances of getting the best view of the aurora, ensure the sky is clear. You’ll also want to get away from any bright lights. Heading away from the city will help evade light pollution, and going specifically north will increase your chances of viewing even more. Also, check what phase the moon is in since a bright full or almost full moon will illuminate the sky, reducing your chances of seeing the aurora.

Be patient

The aurora can flare up and become active at any moment and typically occur at altitudes of 100 to 300 kilometres above Earth. Because they occur so high in the atmosphere, the same aurora display can often be seen across large areas, whether you’re on one side of the city or the province. On nights when the aurora is particularly strong and skies are clear, it will be visible from almost anywhere in Saskatoon. Just pick your spot, grab a lawn chair and keep your eyes peeled.

Use night mode when photographing

The easiest way to photograph the aurora with a smartphone is by using night mode at the longest capture time (usually 10 seconds) and holding your phone as still as possible. This will increase the exposure of the photo, rendering the aurora brighter. Don’t be surprised if the aurora looks even better in photos than to the naked eye!

Keep your eyes on the sky during these next few months. You just might witness something extraordinary!